With the Discovery Channel airing the 30th incarnation of its popular Shark Week television event this week, interest in the predator is high. The shows attract millions of viewers, and their popularity has led to multiple Sharknado movies and shark-themed items in popular video games.
Businesses in Arizona are capitalizing on the shark craze, too. OdySea Aquarium, on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Reservation near Scottsdale, has been filling its July calendar with a variety of shark-related events. Fifty sharks of 14 species live in the aquarium’s tanks, nearly half of them in the biggest tank, called Shark Waters.
But what goes into taking care of so many of these carnivorous creatures? The answer lies behind the scenes: advanced filtration systems, lots of raw fish and a dedicated team of employees, some of whom dive with the sharks on a regular basis.
