bio.wikisort.org - Zoo

Chimelong Ocean Kingdom is a theme park situated in Hengqin, Zhuhai, People's Republic of China. It was designed by PGAV Destinations.[2] The park broke ground on 28 November 2010[3] and soft-opened on 28 January 2014.[4] The grand opening occurred on 29 March that year. The first phase of the park cost RMB 10 billion to build.[3] It is part of the Chimelong International Ocean Tourist Resort, which aims to become the "Orlando of China".[2] According to TEA and AECOM, it is the 10th most visited theme park in the world in 2018, with 10.83 million visitors.[1]

Zhuhai Chimelong Ocean Kingdom
珠海长隆海洋王国

Location	Chimelong International Ocean Resort, Fuxiang Bay, Hengqin, Zhuhai, People's Republic of China
Opened	29 March 2014; 8 years ago (2014-03-29)
Owner	Chimelong Group
Operated by	Chimelong Group
General manager	Paul Yuen
Theme	Marine
Slogan	全球领先的海洋主题乐园 World Leading Ocean Theme Park
Operating season	Year round
Attendance	10.83 million (2018 operating year)[1]
Area	8
Attractions
Total	15
Roller coasters	3
Water rides	2
Website	zh.chimelong.com/oceankingdom/

Chimelong Ocean Kingdom
Simplified Chinese	珠海长隆海洋王国
Traditional Chinese	珠海長隆海洋王國
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhūhǎi Chánglóng Hǎiyáng Wángguó Yue: Cantonese Jyutping zyu1 hoi2 coeng4 lung4 hoi2 joeng4 wong4 gwok3

Among its attractions are a wide range of amusements rides, animal shows, as well as the world's largest oceanarium with a total of 48.75 million litres (10.72 million UK gal; 12.87 million US gal) of water. The theme park currently has five Guinness World Records under its name.[5]

Rides and shows

Rides

Name	Type	Manufacturer	Area	Opened	Image
Parrot Coaster	Wing Coaster	Bolliger & Mabillard	Amazing Amazon	2014
Polar Explorer	Water Coaster	Mack Rides	Polar Horizon	2014
Walrus Splash	SuperSplash	Mack Rides	Walrus Mountain	2014
Penguin Coaster	Force Coaster	Zierer	Hero Island	2018
Jungle Coaster	Force Coaster	Zierer	Hero Island	2018

Shows

Name	Type	Venue	Area	Opened	Image
Dolphin Show	Animal show	Dolphin Theater	Dolphin Cove	2014
Sea Lion Show	Animal show	Sea Lion Theater	Mount Walrus	2014
Beluga Show	Animal show	Beluga Theater	Polar Horizon	2014
Ocean Resistance	Nighttime Spectacular	Hengqin Ocean	Hengqin Ocean	2017
Musical Fountain Spectacular	Fountain show	Hengqin Ocean	Hengqin Ocean	2015

Themed areas

There are eight themed areas inside the park, each representing a part of the ocean.

Ocean Avenue

• The entrance area with shops and an LED digital canopy that showcases the sea

Dolphin Cove

Amusement rides

• Battle of the Pirates – spinning tea cups with shooting water jets
• Dolphin Round Ride – spinner ride
• 5D Castle Theatre - Opened in 2015. The castle theatre features a 13-minute animated film called "Kaka's Great Adventure". The film is produced by Prana Studios with Kraftwerk Living Technologies (KLT) providing the hardware. The theatre has a 1,500m² curved screen, a world record. The theatre took more than three years to plan and cost some ¥300 million (US$50 million) to build.[6]

Animal exhibits

• Dolphin Island and Dolphin Theatre – spotted dolphin habitat
• Dolphin Conservation Center – Chinese white dolphin habitat with viewing for guests both above and underwater

Amazing Amazon

Amusement rides

• Parrot Coaster – Bolliger & Mabillard winged coaster ride

Animal exhibits

• Journey to the Amazon – freshwater aquarium

Ocean Beauty

Amusement rides

• Deep Sea Odyssey – submarine ride that goes inside the aquarium

Animal exhibits

• Whale Shark Exhibit Aquarium – the tank itself contains 22.7 million litres (4.99 million UK gal; 5.99 million US gal) of water, making it the largest in the world,[5] and it is home to whale sharks, manta rays, and many other species at the time of its opening.[7]

Polar Horizon

Amusement rides

• Polar Explorer – water roller coaster ride

Animal exhibits

• Beluga Experience and Beluga Theatre – beluga habitat
• Polar bear Village – Polar bear habitat
• Penguin World – Penguin habitat

Hero Island

Amusement rides

• Bumper Smash – Bumper cars
• Games Arcade – game stalls
• Penguin Coaster
• Jungle Coaster
• Tower of Sea Monsters

Animal exhibits

• Otter's Den – Asian small-clawed otter habitat
• Stingray Encounter – Stingray touch pool
• Tide Pools – Touch tanks with small fish and other sea creatures

Mount Walrus

Amusement rides

• Spirit of Adventure – pirate ship
• Walrus Splash – giant flume

Animal exhibits

• Walrus Island – walrus habitat
• Sea Lion Bay and Sea Lion Theatre – sea lion habitat
• Sea Bird Paradise – Home to pelicans, white cranes, white-naped cranes, white storks, herons, spotted seals, capybaras, green sea turtles, African spurred tortoises, Aldabra giant tortoise and seagulls.

Hengqin Ocean

• Shows, parades, and firework shows

Entertainments

Journey of Lights - Nighttime parade designed by Miziker Entertainment[8]

Killer Whale Breeding Center

Opened in March 2017, the facility is home to nine killer whales (5 males and 4 females), 6 currently living at the center and 3 temporarily held at another facility. All the killer whales came from Russia and will live here until their new home opens next year.

Two are named Nukka (F) and Tyson (M). Others' names have not been made official yet.

Transportation

The resort has been served by the Zhuhai Changlong railway station on the Zhuhai–Zhuhai Airport intercity railway since 18 August 2020.

Awards and Records

In 2015 Chimelong Ocean Kingdom won the Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement over 169 international candidates, marking the first time the award was given to a Chinese theme park.[9]

The ocean park holds the Guinness world record for being the largest aquarium in the world, it also had the largest aquarium window in the world according to the Guinness World Records, a single acrylic panel measuring 39.6 by 8.3 m (130 by 27 ft).

The Journey of Lights parade won the 2018 Thea Award for outstanding achievement - live show.[10]

Criticism

Samuel Hung Ka-yiu, chairman of the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society, said, "Ocean Kingdom seems to have imported everything. They are doing everything wrong. They are doing everything you don't want them to do".[11] Examples include polar bears confined in small areas demonstrating "repetitive pacing, swaying, head-bobbing or circling"[12] and skin disorders in penguins kept in a sub-tropical environment.

Further criticism arises from a recent trade of orcas between China and Russia.[13] In 2013 Russia captured wild orcas in the Sea of Okhotsk,[14] two of which have been sold to China. "Now, a conservation group monitoring the capture of killer whales says it has discovered that Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) permits were applied for by Russia and granted for two wild-caught killer whales, also known as orcas, to be exported to China."[11] Ocean Kingdom refuses to comment on whether they plan to display orcas in future but there are currently 50 aquariums in China, none of which have orcas on display.

Attendance

Year	Attendance
2014	5,504,000[15]
2015	7,486,000[16]
2016	8,474,000[17]
2017	9,788,000[18]
2018	10,830,000[1]

See also

• Chimelong Paradise
• List of tourist attractions in China

References

External links

• Official website
• Photos: Chimelong's Ocean Kingdom theme park in China Los Angeles Times.
• Coaster Forum Review

---