Inside The Lost Chambers Aquarium
Go behind the scenes of Dubai’s biggest aquarium.
Meet The Women Making A Splash At The Lost Chambers Aquarium
As children, when people asked us what we wanted to be, we said an astronaut with an air of pride. We wanted to do something different while also making a difference. While many children looked to the skies above, some looked down into the ocean and saw a whole world of magic just waiting to be explored. Two such people were Natasha Christie, Aquarium Director at The Lost Chambers Aquarium, and Maria Padial, Manager of Aquarium Exhibits. We recently caught up with Natasha and Maria to chat about their passion for marine life and to find out what goes on behind the scenes at Dubai’s best aquarium.
Did You Know…
The Lost Chambers Aquarium is home to more than 65,000 marine animals across 250 different species, all living harmoniously in the Ambassador Lagoon, a breathtaking space inspired by the lost city of Atlantis.
A Day In The Life Of
What does a regular day at work look like for you?
When it comes to managing an aquarium, one has to be an early bird. We start work at the break of dawn in order to carry out inspections and assessments before the guests start arriving. Once the assessment is done, we know which tasks to focus on for the day. These can be anything from maintenance needs and cleaning the windows to engineering checks. We then prepare for the morning feeding and afternoon feeding, which are crucial to maintaining the optimal health of the animals. Throughout the day, we look into various other aspects of running a marine aquarium, like harvesting live plankton to feed the jellyfish, ensuring the best water quality, and making sure all animals in the oceanarium seem happy and healthy, from sharks to the tiniest of fish.
Did You Know...
In the wild, sharks can last for up to one month without having to feed, but at The Lost Chambers Aquarium, these apex predators are fed on a daily basis to create a harmonious environment within the aquarium.
The Natural Habitat
How do you replicate a natural environment for the marine life to thrive?
To keep it as close to nature as possible, we use natural seawater from the Arabian Gulf, which has been filtered and sterilized. The artifacts representing the Lost City Of Atlantis replicate the hiding places fish would use in the wild.
How do sharks co-exist with the smaller fish in the oceanarium?
We have sharks of varying sizes, across 11 species. In the Ambassador Lagoon and Shark Lagoon, they co-exist harmoniously with the smaller fish. The species of sharks that would pursue these reef fish are usually bottom dwellers like the zebra sharks or guitar sharks, and the fish are easily able to seek refuge if pursued, thanks to the relics representing the Lost City of Atlantis. As for the midwater dwellers, the small fish shoal up to confuse the shark and avoid predation. They’re also fed more often than they would in the wild, keeping them satisfied. Depending on the species of the shark, we either target-feed them by hand or scatter-feed them from the surface of the water.
What are your favourite marine animals?
Maria: It has got to be the Napoleon Wrasse. They’re like the chameleons of the sea and can change their colouration as well as their sex.
Natasha: For me, it’d be the mighty old jellyfish. Being one of the simplest organisms on earth with a body composition of 99% water, they embody perfection with the most complex and beautiful pulsing movement.
Experience The Lost Chambers Aquarium
How can visitors come face to fin with the marine animals at Atlantis Dubai?
We have a range of diving options at The Lost Chambers Aquarium, including scuba dives, snorkeling and Aquatrek. Once guests arrive for their session, they’re educated about the marine life and activity they’re about to embark on, all of which is led by our expert dive team.
Can you tell us about the breeding programs at The Lost Chambers Aquarium?
We are currently breeding a variety of stingray species including Cownose Stingray, Eagleray, Marble Stingray, Porcupine Stingray and Cowtail Stingray; and three species of sharks including Brown Banded Bamboo Sharks, Arabian Carpet Shark and Zebra Shark. We also breed Moon Jellyfish and are working toward White Nettle Jellyfish, Clownfish and Seahorses.
Do you reintroduce any species back into the wild?
Yes, in an ongoing initiative with Dubai Municipality, we recently released juvenile Arabian Carpet Sharks, born and raised at Atlantis Dubai, back into the ocean.
We have a range of diving options at The Lost Chambers Aquarium, including scuba dives, snorkeling and Aquatrek. Once guests arrive for their session, they’re educated about the marine life and activity they’re about to embark on, all of which is led by our expert dive team.
Can you tell us about the breeding programs at The Lost Chambers Aquarium?
We are currently breeding a variety of stingray species including Cownose Stingray, Eagleray, Marble Stingray, Porcupine Stingray and Cownose Stingray; and three species of sharks including Brown Banded Bamboo Sharks, Arabian Carpet Shark and Zebra Shark. We also breed Moon Jellyfish and are working toward White Nettle Jellyfish, Clownfish and Seahorses.
Do you reintroduce any species back into the wild?
Yes, in an ongoing initiative with Dubai Municipality, we recently released juvenile Arabian Carpet Sharks, born and raised at Atlantis Dubai, back into the ocean.
Tickets And Passes
One-Day Aquarium Pass
Visit The Lost Chambers Aquarium
See 21 exhibits and 65,000 marine animals in the Ambassador Lagoon and The Lost Chambers Aquarium.
One-Day Super Pass
Make It A Full Aquaventure
Enjoy all-day access to Aquaventure Waterpark, The Lost Chambers Aquarium, dolphin performances and shark feeding shows.
Peek Behind The Scenes
Aquarium Entry and Fish Tales Tour
Explore The Lost Chambers Aquarium and take a behind-the-scenes tour to learn how we care for the sharks, stingrays and fish.
Two-Day Mega Pass
One Day Is Not Enough
Our most popular pass includes two days' entry to Aquaventure Waterpark, The Lost Chambers Aquarium, dolphin and shark shows, and so much more.