Step inside the Jaws of “The Meg” at the Texas State Aquarium
August 7, 2018
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – If the upcoming Jason Statham film “The Meg” has you interested in the largest shark to ever live, the Megalodon, then you may wish to visit the Texas State Aquarium to learn more about this prehistoric predator and its modern shark descendants.
What makes the science-fiction motion picture “The Meg” so intriguing is that unlike many monster movies, the featured creature actually did exist. Megalodon, meaning “big tooth,” lived at least two million years ago. Remains of this giant shark suggest it could have reached lengths of 60 feet and a weight of more than 60 tons. By comparison, the infamous great white shark typically only grows to be about at most, 20 feet long and just over two tons.
At the Aquarium, guests can get an idea of the Megalodon’s legendary size by stepping inside a replica of its jaws for a unique photo op. Standing tall, the average person fits just between the sharp teeth of Meg’s gaping jaws. In the same exhibit where Meg’s jaws sit, “Saving Sharks,” guests can venture into a shark cage, see a life-size model of a great white shark, track tagged sharks around the world and best of all, get hands-on with real live sharks in a touch pool.
While “The Meg,” yet another shark attack film to arrive in the wake of Shark Week, is sure to renew some interest in the ocean predators, the Aquarium hopes its exhibits show guests that there is a much gentler side to this misunderstood marine animal than most movies depict. Guests can get an up-close, empathetic, and educational look at live sharks through several exhibits and presentations, including getting inches away from nine-foot long sandbar and sand tiger sharks in H-E-B Caribbean Sea and Islands of Steel. They can also see sharks in a new light in the immersive film “Shark: A 4D Experience” or the photo exhibit “Sharks: On Assignment with Brian Skerry.” The central message in all of these exhibits is that sharks, while fascinating, aren’t as scary as you think, and they play an important part in our ecosystem. Sharks only kill approximately 6 people a year, compared to 100 million sharks killed by humans. By those numbers, the shark would have plenty of reasons to cast humans as the monster in its own movie. Sharks also help control fish populations, keeping the ocean and its habitats in balance. Without sharks, the health of the ocean, and humans in turn, could quickly deteriorate. In other words, if sharks did disappear, the effect on the ocean, and the humans and other species that depend on it, could be more terrifying than anything Hollywood could cook up.
All the Aquarium’s exhibits and presentations, plus parking and admission to the H-E-B Splash Park and Whataburger 4D Theater, are included with admission. To purchase tickets in advance and skip the line, or to learn more about Aquarium exhibits, hours and other visitor information, visit www.texasstateaquarium.org.