Up until now Coral World guests have been able to touch the tail of a shark while standing at the edge of the pool during the daily presentations. The new Shark Encounter program at Coral World brings the "fear factor" up several notches by inviting a limited number of guests to experience the thrill of being in the water with nearly a dozen sharks!

Sound like a wild idea? The truth is, animal encounter programs similar to this one are a growing trend at aquariums around the world. According to Peter Noah, Coral World vice president of operations, today's aquarium visitors are no longer satisfied with the passive aquarium experience. "People want to experience the excitement and rush of being very close to the animals." The shark encounter program is the first of several other interactive programs that Coral World will introduce this year. A stingray encounter is planned for the spring.

The shark program offered at Coral World is very unique and the only of its kind in the Caribbean. Most shark encounter experiences take place in an environment where artificial barriers such as cages and glass walls separate participants from the sharks. At Coral World, participants and a staff biologist guide will stand in the water as close as two feet away from the sharks. While most other shark encounters require scuba diving skills, Coral World's program requires no special skills or experience, making it accessible to the average person.

The adventure begins with an educational session out of the water. Participants learn about the different shark species found in the pool, their habits and behaviors. Next, participants climb into a demonstration pool where they don their masks, snorkels and weight belts (for stability) before entering the main enclosure. Accompanied by their guide, participants wade in four feet of clear water as juvenile nurse, lemon, and blacktip sharks swim freely around them. While in the water guests can also observe juvenile barracuda, lobsters and other marine life typical of a shallow reef environment. "This is a great opportunity to see marine life eye to eye," says Noah. Guests then return to the demonstration pool to pet one of the baby nurse sharks carefully handled by the guide. The whole experience is captured on camera for those who wish to take home a photo souvenir. (Otherwise, who would ever believe you actually swam with sharks!)

Despite their ferocious reputation, sharks have much more to fear from people than we do from them. According to Noah, "The chance of encountering a shark while in the water, let alone being attacked by one is very slight." He explains that the encounter program is safe for many reasons; Not only are the sharks accustomed to humans who clean inside the pool each day, they are also well fed, eating twice daily. On the other hand, humans have been putting increasing pressure on shark populations over the years. Sharks are killed for food and other products but also out of fear and for sport. The program at Coral World is designed to inspire respect for sharks.

The Coral World Shark Encounter program will be available to the public on a very limited schedule this week, with a grand opening on Saturday, March 11. The cost is $19.75 plus the Coral World park admission. It will be offered four times daily to groups of one to four people. "We have limited participation to no more than sixteen guests per day in order to ensure an intimate experience for the guests and a safe and healthy experience for the animals," says Noah. Participants must measure 4'6" tall.