Boasting of approximately five hundred diverse species of marine life, the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas is an extensive aquarium facility which is one of the components under the Audubon Nature Institute.

The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas debuted in 1990 along the Mississippi River. The creation of the
aquarium is one of the initiatives under a riverside enhancement campaign which also gave birth to the Woldenberg Park and restored shabby warehouses. The focus of the Audubon Aquarium is the endemic marine life thriving in the seas surrounding New Orleans which include the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.

Unfortunately, the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas suffered severe damages when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005. Thousands of fish perished when the aquarium?s control and filtering capabilities failed during the height of the hurricane. The aquarium was repaired and reopened in May of 2006.

One of the main attractions in the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas is a hard-to-find white alligator which is kept in the Mississippi River Gallery. There?s also an enormous water tank with a capacity of 1.5 million liters of water or 400,000 gallons. The water tank holds a recreation of an oil rig and showcases marine life species that thrive in the Gulf of Mexico such as sting rays and sharks. Another must-see is the nine-meter or 30-feet long tunnel which goes through a big water tank which gives guests a close look on the beautiful ocean life of the Caribbean ridge.

The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas feature more than just aquariums. Found within the giant glass cylinder which can be seen by visitors from the outside is a mini-version of the Amazon Rainforest. Guest can wander around this foggy terrarium through wooden bridges and admire the tropical plant species housed here.

Aside from the different species of fish, there are other marine lives found in the Audubon Aquarium of the Americans. These include frogs, jellyfish, sea horses, sea otters, penguins plus more amphibians. There is also the shark cove which houses rather odd sharks like the carpet shark wobbegong.