São Paulo Aquarium

Clownfish on display at ASP.

The São Paulo Aquarium was inaugurated on July 6, 2006, when it had only one sector, with a total area of 3,000 m², where 25 tanks/aquariums were built that exhibited species of fish, reptiles and mammals that inhabit several ecosystems, such as the Amazon ranforest, the Pantanal and the Tietê River basin.[1][3]

The first expansion occurred in 2008, with the construction of 2,000 m² for the creation of the "Mundo Marinho" sector ("Marine World"), which had the increase of 11 tanks/enclosures where it began to demonstrate the gradual change between the freshwater and marine environment, with tanks representing brackish waters; mangroves; sandy beaches; rocky coast; ocean and reefs; containing several types of fish, sharks, rays and penguins.[1]

In 2009, 10 new tanks/enclosures were built on 3,000 m² to expand the "Amazônia" ("Amazon") sector, with the arrival of a manatee, giant anteaters, howler monkeys, otters and giant Amazonian fish (such as pirarucus, redtail catfish, tambaquis and jaús). In 2015, there was a major expansion with the creation of 13 new tanks in an area of 7,000 m² focused on the animal world outside the country, such as meerkats, colobus and lemurs from the African continent; flying foxes and pythons from Indonesia; kangaroos, wombats, echidna and koalas from Australia; seals, sea lions, and polar bears.[1][3][4][2]

Polar bear at the São Paulo Aquarium.

Polar bears Aurora and Peregrino, born in Russia, are the first of their kind in the country. Despite the climate difference between their homeland and Brazil, these mammals, which together weigh 730 kg, had no problem adapting to their new home. They live in a 1,500-square-meter enclosure with a temperature between -15 °C and -5 °C.[5][3][4][2]