Giant crocs and octopus help boost Dubai Aquarium’s global ranking

Two crocodiles and a giant Pacific octopus have helped the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo get ranked as one of the most coveted aquariums around the world.

Travel site TripAdvisor announced the winners of its Travellers’ Choice awards for Zoos and Aquariums around the globe, with Dubai emerging at No. 25 from the 275 winners identified.

Over the last two months, the Dubai Mall has seen several new additions to its family, with a King Croc and his Queen trading up from the swamplands for the plush surroundings of a world-class shopping centre aquarium, followed by the inclusion of a Giant Pacific Octopus.

The two species are hardly likely to be buddies any time soon, but the neighbours at Dubai Mall are certainly adhering to the urban adage: size does matter.

Meanwhile, the US led the tally of world lists of zoos and aquariums, with nine of the top 25 zoos including the top two with the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska at number one, while the San Diego Zoo in California came in at number two.

Meanwhile, 10 of the top 25 world aquariums are also in the US, including five of the top 10 with Monterey, California’s Monterey Bay Aquarium topping the world list.

“For those wanting to see the world’s most wondrous creatures, TripAdvisor has named the Travellers’ Choice Zoos and Aquariums, as chosen by the community of millions,” Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor, said in a statement.

“Travellers can enjoy a fun and educational experience at any of these popular award-winning attractions around the globe.”

The awards honour top travel spots worldwide based on the reviews and opinions from the travel site’s visitors.

Award winners were determined using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of reviews for zoos and aquariums worldwide, gathered over a 12-month period.

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