The Curaçao Sea Aquarium belongs to one of the most unique aquaria in the world. The reason being that, from the very beginning of the aquarium in 1984, the Sea Aquarium managed to create natural habitats for all its marine creatures without using sophisticated technical equipment. Due to an open-watersystem all the aquaria are in immediate contact with the open sea. It is this advanced pump system that continuously pumps fresh seawater directly in all the aquaria. Openings in the roof allow natural sunlight to fall directly on the aquaria, so there is no need to use artificial light sources. The combination of the open-watersystem and the natural sunlight create the natural circumstances that are needed to replicate the underwater world outside the aquarium. Everything in the aquaria, from the fish and corals to the sand on the bottom of the exhibition tanks, originates from the seas surrounding the island of Curaçao. Nothing in the displays is artificial, everything is 100% real. The same conditions apply to the lagoons in which the dolphins, sealions, sharks, rays and turtles are kept. The only thing that separates these lagoons from the open ocean are breakwaters built out of big rock boulders and an occasional fence, allowing fresh seawater to freely flow through all the lagoons. The Curaçao Sea Aquarium operates according to the principle that all animals need to be kept in circumstances that as much as possible mimic their natural living conditions. This goal is accomplished by employing all the available natural sources and resources surrounding the aquarium.