Get up-close and personal with Vegas’ amazing animals Next
time you want to “go wild” in Las Vegas, don’t risk your life savings
on black. Instead, head to one of the city’s animal attractions for an
unforgettable experience with sharks, dolphins and other creatures.
THE TANK Golden Nugget 129 E. Fremont St. 866.946.5336 www.goldennugget.com/lasvegas
SHARK REEF AQUARIUM Mandalay Bay 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South 702.632.4555 www.sharkreef.com
SIEGFRIED & ROY’S SECRET GARDEN AND DOLPHIN HABITAT The Mirage 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. South 702.792.7889 www.miragehabitat.com
THE LION HABITAT RANCH 382 Bruner Ave. 702.595.6666 www.thecathouse.us
While visitors may know
that Las Vegas is home to many majestic animals, they don’t realize how
much they can interact with them. At the Tank, the Golden Nugget’s pool,
visitors can ride a three-story waterslide through a 200,000-gallon
shark tank and go behind the scenes to learn more about the Tank’s
fearsome inhabitants. In addition to learning about what the sharks eat
and how the exhibit operates, guests will receive a souvenir shark
tooth.
For a more hands-on experience, Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay offers a shark feed program. Guests
peer from above the aquarium’s 1.3 million gallon shipwreck exhibit and
watch the sharks eat. They will also have the opportunity to feed the
exhibit’s two zebra sharks (contingent on the sharks’ behavior) from a
safe distance. Sea turtle and stingray feeds are available as well.
For
those who find sharks a bit too intimidating, Siegfried & Roy’s
Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage offers several programs
where guests can interact with dolphins. Its Trainer for a Day program
is particularly popular, as guests get to shadow the dolphin trainers
and get into the water to play with the animals. Guests are also treated
to a tour of the underwater birthing and research observation rooms,
where they can listen to the dolphins communicate. Participants can also
pose for a photo with a dolphin. For those who also want to see the
attraction’s land-dwelling residents (which include lions, tigers and
leopards), the VIP tour is a must.
The
city’s best-kept “secret” animal attraction is the Lion Habitat Ranch. A
retirement home for the lions from the MGM Grand, the attraction
features nearly 50 big cats — many of them relatives of the MGM lions.
Private tours are available where guests can see the king of the jungle
being bathed and fed.
