The end of Berlin’s Aquadom and sea life: a sad chapter for marine life

Almost two years after the explosion of Berlin's Aquadom and the death of 1500 tropical fish, Sea Life leaves the German capital forever. The closure of the facility and the relocation of marine animals has been announced

Nearly two years ago, Berlin woke up to the shock of an explosion at the Radisson Blu Hotel, located in the heart of the city. The famed Aquadom-a 46-foot-tall cylindrical aquarium-lay in ruins, leaving 1,500 fish from 100 different species dead in agony.

Since then, a decision was made not to rebuild what once was the biggest cylindrical aquarium in the world. Another development has just arrived: it’s been announced that Berlin’s Sea Life will close for good.

Sea Life announces its exit from Berlin

The news was announced by Merlin Entertainments Group, which operates Sea Life, through a statement on its website. The company said it decided to pull out of Berlin after weighing various options.

The main reason seems to be financial. The loss of the 46-foot-tall Aquadom has significantly reduced the number of visitors to the venue and made it less interesting for locals and tourists alike. Due to the decline in attendance and lack of strategic fit with Merlin’s commercial objectives, Sea Life Berlin’s days were numbered.

A tragedy that sparked public outrage

The Aquadom disaster and the loss of marine life within created a lasting impression among the public. Pictures of debris and tropical fish suffocating in open air created an outrage among the public. Many Berliners and visitors are still trying to come to terms with the tragedy.

Just before the holiday season, Sea Life Berlin will shut its doors for good in December; its last day of operation will be December 13. At 3:00 PM local time, the lights of the aquarium will be switched off forever.

What happens to the marine life now?

This means the relocation of some 3,000 marine animals that are currently part of Sea Life Berlin to other Sea Life locations or external partners outside the Merlin network.

All this begs the question of what stress these animals will face on their journeys to new “glass homes”—homes which can never match their natural habitat.

Source: Sea Life