Wild Adventures WIth Steve: Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies

A visit with sharks, jellyfish and more in the mountains of East Tennessee. Video quality is sorry because I was using an ancient VHS camera--oh how I long for an new DV video camera with waterproof case.

I absolutely love sharks and other large predators. There is just something primal and raw about a creature that eats other creatures alive that stirs the deepest recesses of your soul--I suppose it is also the fact that for some of these creatures-- we humans are on the menu. However, most sharks do not attack humans on purpose--humans on the other hand DO attack humans on purpose so what do we have to fear from sharks--nothing but the fear itself and an occasional accident of identification (ie: a human on a surfboard looking like a seal in distress).

I recently watched the movie Sharkwater (check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vog3z1NsMYU )and then buy it from http://www.sharkwater.com It is an amazing docunentary that will open your eyes to what is really happening to sharks all over the planet.

The trade in shark fins and shark parts must end or many species of shark will become extinct. Without sharks the balance of nature in the oceans will be offset. The oceans govern the health of the rest of the planet and without the top predators--the sharks--keeping other creatures in check there will be massive die offs and extinctions of an unimaginable amount of sea creatures and who knows what will follow...

Please check out these other sites of small numbers of people who are truly making a difference for the better in shark and wildlife conservation.

http://www.savingsharks.com

http://www.sharksavers.org

http://www.seashepherd.org

http://www.wildaid.org

http://www.wildlifewarriors.org

http://www.surfrider.org

http://www.seachoice.org

http://www.BiteBack.com

http://www.sharktrust.org

http://www.sharks.org

http://www.ocean.com

http://www.cccturtle.org

http://www.sharkalliance.org

http://www.oceanconservancy.org

http://www.theoceanproject.org

Please sign the online petition to stop the strip mining of the Steve Irwin Wildlife Refuge in northern Australia:

http://www.savestevesplace.com

Check out my own wildlife conservation project with Eastern Box Turtles--Turtle Tracks:
http://www.geocities.com/thesolrover/Boxtrack.html

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• sharks
• shark
• sawfish
• jellyfish
• sea
• dragon
• ripleys
• aquarium
• smokies

[CTobias333]

I honestly think that the lowrez camera gave your production a better feel. Of course, I still like vinyl, so take my opinions lightly.

[cayden33]

This is a very nice aquarium, i visited it about 2 or 3 years ago? Yes, i would recommend it to any family.

[RipleysAquariums]

Hey Snake Steve,

Loving your vids! I am saving them to our playlist and they will be feature on our all new websites...launching this summer sometime. Thanks for all the nice things you said!

[pjthedj64]

Cool! I live not far from this aquarium. Been there several times. Great production even though you had a VHS camera. GREAT JOB!!! You are right...the DV cameras are great. I made one of the aquarium and it turned out great!