Ocean Park Hong Kong
Encyclopedia
Marine mammal park
A marine mammal park is a commercial theme park or aquarium where marine mammals such as dolphins, beluga whales and sea lions are kept within water tanks and displayed to the public in special shows. A marine mammal park is more elaborate than a dolphinarium, because it also features other marine...
, oceanarium
Oceanarium
An oceanarium can be either a marine mammal park, such as Marineland of Florida, or a large-scale aquarium, such as the Lisbon Oceanarium, presenting an ocean habitat with marine animals, especially large ocean dwellers such as sharks.- Marine mammal parks :...
, animal theme park
Animal Theme Park
An Animal Theme Park, also known as a Zoological Theme Park, is a combination of a theme park and a zoological park, mainly for entertainment, amusement, and commercial purposes. Many animal theme parks blend classic theme park elements, such as themed entertainment and amusement rides, with...
and amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
, situated in Wong Chuk Hang
Wong Chuk Hang
Wong Chuk Hang is an industrial and residential town to the east of Aberdeen and to the north of Nam Long Shan and to the west of Shouson Hill, on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong...
and Nam Long Shan
Nam Long Shan
Nam Long Shan is a hill on the Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong, China, near Wong Chuk Hang and Aberdeen. At an elevation of 247 metres, it overlooks the South China Sea in the south, Sham Wan and Aberdeen Channel in the west, and Deep Water Bay in the east.The Headland of Ocean Park is on the...
in the Southern District
Southern District, Hong Kong
The Southern District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. It is located in the southern part of Hong Kong Island. It had a population of 290,240 in 2001. This district has the fourth lowest population of Hong Kong.-Geography:...
of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. Founded in 1977 by the then Governor of Hong Kong Sir Murray MacLehose, Ocean Park has grown to about 35 attractions and rides. The park has won several awards, including The World's Seventh Most Popular Amusement Park and 33rd Most Visited Tourist Attractions in the World by Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
.
In fiscal year 2007/2008, Ocean Park received 5.03 million visitors awarding it the position of the world's number 15 theme park by annual attendance, ahead of rival Hong Kong Disneyland
Hong Kong Disneyland
Hong Kong Disneyland is located on reclaimed land in Penny's Bay, Lantau Island. It is the first theme park located inside the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and is owned and managed by the Hong Kong International Theme Parks. The park opened to visitors on 12 September 2005...
's 4.5 million visitors. Covering an area of 870,000 square metres of land, the park is separated by a large mountain into two areas, The Summit (Headland) and The Waterfront (Lowland) respectively. The areas can be reached by a 1.5 km long cable car system, a shuttle bus, or the Ocean Express funicular railway
Funicular
A funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...
. As the Headland comprises several hills, visitors can also opt to take the world's second longest outdoor escalator.
The theme park currently has 19 rides, including two rollercoasters, but also houses 11 animal exhibits, such as a Giant panda
Giant Panda
The giant panda, or panda is a bear native to central-western and south western China. It is easily recognized by its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the panda's diet is 99% bamboo...
habitat, a jelly fish and Chinese sturgeon
Chinese Sturgeon
The Chinese Sturgeon is a member of the family Acipenseridae and the order Acipenseriformes.It is thought to have lived at the same time as dinosaurs, dating back to a period 140 million years ago. Because of that, it is sometimes also known as a living fossil...
aquarium, as well as a four-story aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
displaying more than 2,000 fish.
Besides being an amusement park, Ocean Park Hong Kong also operates observatories, well developed laboratories, an education department and a Whale
Whale
Whale is the common name for various marine mammals of the order Cetacea. The term whale sometimes refers to all cetaceans, but more often it excludes dolphins and porpoises, which belong to suborder Odontoceti . This suborder also includes the sperm whale, killer whale, pilot whale, and beluga...
s and Dolphin
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
s Fund.
Ocean Park Hong Kong was the first institution in the world to have success in artificial insemination of bottlenose dolphin
Bottlenose Dolphin
Bottlenose dolphins, the genus Tursiops, are the most common and well-known members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphins. Recent molecular studies show the genus contains two species, the common bottlenose dolphin and the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin , instead of one...
s, and developed numerous new breeds of goldfish
Goldfish
The goldfish is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of order Cypriniformes. It was one of the earliest fish to be domesticated, and is one of the most commonly kept aquarium fish....
.
In September 2007, Ocean Park Hong Kong increased its ticket prices by 12% and 14% to take advantage of the Golden Week Holidays.
In July 2009, Ocean Park Hong Kong announced that they would increase their ticket prices by 20% and 25% to pay a loan.
History
Opened on 10 January 1977 by the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Murray MacLehose. Ocean Park was constructed with HK$150 million funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club. The land was provided free by the Hong Kong Government. Between 1982 and 1984, The Hong Kong Jockey Club allocated a further HK$240 million into developing facilities at Tai Shue Wan and thrill rides at the Summit.Ocean Park ceased to be a subsidiary of the Hong Kong Jockey Club on 1 July 1987, becoming its own statutory body, with a Government-appointed Board. The Hong Kong Jockey Club established a HK$200 million trust to ensure the Park’s continued development. At present, Ocean Park is managed by the Ocean Park Corporation, a financially independent, non-profit organisation.
Headland Rides(山上機動城)
- The Dragon (瘋狂過山車) – Hong Kong’s largest roller coaster with a maximum speed of 77 km/h. Twists 360° through two giant loops over 842 metres of track
- The Abyss Turbo Drop (極速之旅) – Raises passengers up 62 metres in 20-25 seconds before thrusting them downward at speeds of up to 65 km/h, even faster than freefalling.
- Flying Swing (飛天鞦韆) – Swings passengers up 7 metres into the air at 11 rpm in an undulating wave motion.
- Crazy Galleon (沖天搖擺船) – A massive suspended ship that tilts passengers back and forth at a nearly 45° angle, 20 metres above the ground.
- Ferris wheel (摩天巨輪) – Standing 27 metres tall with 18 six-seater gondolas, the Ferris wheel offers spectacular views of Ocean Park and the South China Sea.
- The Eagle (翻天飛鷹) – Hoists passengers 23.5 metres into the air and whirls them around at a maximum gyro drive speed of 22 rpm.
- Headland Skill Games – Features 20 classic arcade games that tests players dexterity and strength.
Adventure Land (急流天地)
- Mine Train (越礦飛車) - A steel "mine train" roller coaster perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking Aberdeen Harbour. Boasts 678 metres of track and stands 85 metres tall at its highest point.
- Raging River (滑浪飛船) – A refreshing water ride that takes passengers through tropical waterfalls, narrow ravines and finishes by shooting them down a slide at almost 60 km/h.
- Ocean Park Escalator (登山電梯) - At 225 m (745 ft) long, this weatherproof escalator is the second longest outdoor escalator in the world.
Amazing Asian Animals (亞洲動物天地)
- Giant Panda Adventure – An impressive purpose-built habitat that houses rare giant pandas and red pandas, making their first appearance in Hong Kong.
- Panda Village – Showcases clever Asian small-clawed otters and a variety of Asian birdlife in a woodland setting.
- Gator Marsh - At 225 m (745 ft), it is the second longest outdoor escalator in the world. It is outdoors, but weatherproof.
- Goldfish Treasures – A goldfish pavilion featuring the latest and rarest varieties like the Black Oranda and Blue Phoenix Eggfish. Educates visitors on the history and importance of the goldfish in Chinese culture.
Marine Land (海洋天地)
- Pacific Pier (太平洋海岸) – Mimics the rocky habitat of 20 resident seals and sea lions on the Northern Californian coast. Allows visitors to walk under the pier to view these marine mammals in the water, complete with simulated waves.
- Atoll Reef (海洋館) - A four-storey high aquarium holding more than 2,000 fish from 250 different species, including the Black Spotted Sting Ray, for which a second generation was successfully bred at Ocean Park.
- Chinese Sturgeon Aquarium – Yangtze River Exploration (中華鱘館- 長江足跡) – Houses rare Chinese sturgeonChinese SturgeonThe Chinese Sturgeon is a member of the family Acipenseridae and the order Acipenseriformes.It is thought to have lived at the same time as dinosaurs, dating back to a period 140 million years ago. Because of that, it is sometimes also known as a living fossil...
along with other native species of the Yangtze River in an educational exhibit on this fragile ecosystem. - Ocean Park Tower (海洋摩天塔) – One of the tallest observation towers in Southeast Asia. Rises 200 metres above sea level with a rotating observation deck at the top offering 360° views of the South China Sea.
- Sea Jelly Spectacular (水母萬花筒) – Showcases an underwater ‘garden’ of over 1,000 sea jellies from around the globe, set to the latest lighting, music and multimedia special effects.
- Ocean Express (海洋列車) – A funicular railwayFunicularA funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...
system capable of transporting visitors between the Summit and the Waterfront in 3 minutes with a capacity of carrying 5000 people per hour. This themed ride utilizes multimedia effects to simulate the feeling of travelling into the depths of the sea. The Funicular was supplied by specialist ropeway engineering company Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group in conjunction with Swiss based Gangloff who built the Funicular car, the themed multimedia effects were designed and installed by UK based theme park design specialist Sarner Ltd. - Cable Cars (登山纜車) – Ocean Park’s iconic Cable Cars transport visitors from the Waterfront to the Summit, 205 metres above sea level. This 8-minute ride offers breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains, sea and the Park.
- Japanese Garden (日本花園) – A tranquil Japanese-style garden complete with landscaped greenery, bridges and streams filled with koi.
Lowland Gardens (綠野花園)
- Hong Kong Jockey Club Giant Panda Habitat (香港賽馬會大熊貓園) - Home to two of Ocean Park’s giant pandas, An An and Jia Jia. The Giant Panda Habitat also acts as a resource centre on the care and conservation of this species.
- Sky Fair (七彩升空天地) – Ride a real hot air balloon that soars 100 metres into the air and see majestic views of southern Hong Kong. The area features a carnival setting with clowns, jugglers and acrobats.
- Bungee Trampoline(威水笨豬跳) – Enables visitors to jump very high into the air on large trampolines when strapped in.
Whisker's Harbour (威威天地)
- Dolphin University (海豚學堂) – Dolphins introduce young visitors to marine life and the importance of caring for the ocean. Home to the Park’s dolphin breeding centre, which achieved a world’s first in breeding artificially inseminated bottlenose dolphins.
- Balloon Up-up-and-away (昇空奇遇) – A gentle, colourful hot air balloon-themed Ferris wheel for very young visitors.
- Clown a Round(小丑旋風) – This merry-go-round has funny clown cars for younger kids to whirl around in.
- Frog Hopper (蛙蛙跳)– A kid’s version of a popular thrill ride. Young visitors strap into the mechanized ‘frog’, hop high into the air and land back on their feet.
- Merry-go-round (幻彩旋轉馬)– A classic children’s merry-go-round with gilded fairytale horses.
- Bouncer House (彈彈屋) – An inflatable, fully padded, covered house for children to bounce around in and get plenty of exercise.
- Whiskers Harbour Playground (威威天地遊樂場) – A safe, child (and parent)-friendly haven for kids to run around and explore slides, see-saws, tunnels and jungle gyms.
- Interactive Shadow Play (互動影子樂) – Kids get to play simple spelling and skill games on interactive multimedia screens. Correct answers are rewarded with charming audiovisual presentations.
- Animal Story Corner (動物故事坊) – Children can explore interactive educational displays about different land, air and sea animals, and what makes each of them distinct.
Tai Shu Wan Entrance (大樹灣入口)
- The Aviary (百鳥居) – A canopied bird haven spanning 17,000 sq. metres with 750 birds from 75 different species. 33 of these are endangered species requiring dedicated care, such as the Nicobar pigeon, Moluccan cockatoo and Scarlet Ibis.
- Flamingo Pond (紅鸛池) – An enchanting tropical pond filled to the brim with zany, blazingly pink flamingos.
Emperors of the Sky (天上王者)
- An educational bird show featuring birds of prey including steppes eagles, Lanner falcons, striated caracaras and turkey vultures, along with 70 other species of birds, at the newly refurbished Bird Theatre.
Ocean Theatre (海洋劇場)
- Currently shows “Sea Dreams!”, a world-class production featuring the Park’s marine animal stars in an inspirational story about the importance of marine conservation.
Whisker's Harbour (威威天地)
Whisker's Theatre (威威劇場)
- Features two shows, “Sea Lion Fun Time” and “Whiskers and Friends”. The former explores a day in the life of the Park’s sea lions, while the latter is a variety show starring the Park’s mascots.
Giant Pandas
A pair of Giant PandaGiant Panda
The giant panda, or panda is a bear native to central-western and south western China. It is easily recognized by its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the panda's diet is 99% bamboo...
s, a male named An An (安安) and a female called Jia Jia (佳佳), were given to Ocean Park by the central government in 1999. To mark the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty, two more pandas were given to Hong Kong. The pair of two year-old bears, a male called Le Le (樂樂) and a female named Ying Ying (盈盈), arrived at Ocean Park from the China Conservation and Research Center in Wolong
Wolong National Nature Reserve
Wolong National Nature Reserve is a protected area located in Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province, People's Republic of China. Established in 1963, the reserve covers an area of about 200,000 hectares in the Qionglai Mountains region. There are over 4,000 different species recorded in the reserve....
in Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
province on 1 May 2007. After quarantine
Quarantine
Quarantine is compulsory isolation, typically to contain the spread of something considered dangerous, often but not always disease. The word comes from the Italian quarantena, meaning forty-day period....
, they made their first public appearance in Ocean Park on 1 July 2007. A new compound was prepared at the park to house them on their arrival.
Dolphins
In July 2009 Domino and Domisa, two dolphins from Bayworld in Port Elizabeth, South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, arrived at Ocean Park. The dolphins, a father and daughter pair, were separated in order to ensure that they do not mate with each other. They will be introduced to other dolphins and form part of Ocean Park's breeding program.
Conservation Programs
Ocean Park has established a registered charitable non-governmental organization named Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Hong KongOcean Park Conservation Foundation Hong Kong
The Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong , often referred to by its initialism OPCFHK is the conglomerate of the former Ocean Park Conservation Foundation and The Hong Kong Society for Panda Conservation established under the Ocean Park Corporation, with effect from 1 July 2005...
(OPCFHK, 香港海洋公園保育基金). OPCFHK has funded various research projects on dolphins, horseshoe crabs, porpoises, giant pandas, snakes and birds in various Asian countries, including Indonesia, China and the Philippines.
Major Annual Events at Ocean Park
Ocean Park hosts five major events throughout the year: a varying Animal in High Definition Month, the Ocean Park Summer Splash, the Halloween Bash and Christmas and Chinese New Year celebrations.2009’s Halloween Bash, themed “Haunted Hong Kong”, was a spine-tingling success that featured costumed ‘ghosts’ promoting the event throughout the city. In 2008, the theme for the Halloween Bash was, “Fear Formula”.
The Animal in High Definition Months enable visitors to encounter a variety of rare animals up close, with educational experts on hand to disseminate vital information about these creatures. The Animal in High Definition Month for 2010 has a reptile theme called, “Mighty Dragons”.
Unique Park Experiences and SmartFun Annual Pass Programme
Ocean Park runs a variety of programmes that enables visitors to get close to its resident animals as well as hold events within the Park. Its wildlife encounter programmes run the gamut from hands-on experiences like swimming with dolphins at the Dolphin Encounter, or learning to be a panda keeper at the Honorary Panda Keeper Programme, to tours like the Amazing Animals Ed-Venture and Sea Jellies & Fish Ed-Venture, which take groups behind the scenes at these facilities. The Park can also be chartered for birthday parties, wedding celebrations and evening company outings.The SmartFun Annual Pass programme was launched in 2009. Apart from allowing its members enhanced or discounted access to the Park and its special events, SmartFun members may also be invited to take part in exclusive education workshops
Mascots
Ocean Park introduced a waving sea lionSea Lion
Sea lions are pinnipeds characterized by external ear-flaps, long fore-flippers, the ability to walk on all fours, and short thick hair. Together with the fur seal, they comprise the family Otariidae, or eared seals. There are six extant and one extinct species in five genera...
named Whiskers (known as Wai Wai in Chinese) as its major mascot on 9 December 2000. Other members of the Ocean Park family include James Fin H2O (a shark
Shark
Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....
), Jewel (a butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
), Swift (a dolphin
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
), Chief (a parrot
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
), Professor (a turtle
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
), Later Gator (an alligator), and Redd (a red panda).
Further development
Ocean Park unveiled a Master Redevelopment Plan (MRP) in March 2005, which aims to rejuvenate older features at the park, develop significant new areas and double the current amount of attractions from 35 to over 70. The Lowland will be completely redeveloped as a new area called the Waterfront, while the Headland will be transformed into a new section called the Summit, with separate areas where visitors can experience the chill of the North and South Poles or journey through a tropical Rainforest. A dedicated thrill ride area, Thrill Mountain, will be opened for enthusiasts of fast, action-packed attractions, and Ocean Park’s current children’s area, Kids’ World, is now refurbished as Whiskers’ Harbour.The Waterfront will feature a brand new area, Aqua City, due to open in late 2010. At its heart is the Grand Aquarium, Southeast Asia’s largest and newest aquarium, a massive 3-storey attraction that will house 5,000 fish from 400 species, and contain the world’s biggest aquarium viewing dome. Also at the Waterfront will be Symbio!, the world’s first 360° water screen augmented by water, fire and intelligent lighting effects. The new aquarium is designed by the Pritzker Prize
Pritzker Prize
The Pritzker Architecture Prize is awarded annually by the Hyatt Foundation to honour "a living architect whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built...
-winning architect Frank Gehry
Frank Gehry
Frank Owen Gehry, is a Canadian American Pritzker Prize-winning architect based in Los Angeles, California.His buildings, including his private residence, have become tourist attractions...
with nightly water shows composed by Academy award-winning Peter Lehman.
Groundbreaking for the MRP took place in November 2006, signalling the start of this HK$5.5 billion project, which will be completed in six years over eight phases while the Park remains open throughout.
The first of these new developments, the Amazing Asian Animals, showcasing some of the Asian region’s most precious endangered creatures, and Ocean Express, a funicular train system capable of transporting 5,000 visitors per hour between the Summit and the Waterfront, were launched in 2009.
Incidents
- 5 December, 2010, seven tourists were injured when a train driver triggered the emergency braking system by mistake on the Ocean Express tunnel railway at the park. Ocean Park was required to install caps over the emergency brake button for their trains before reopening.