Bahrain Opens World’s Largest Underwater Theme Park

Bahrain inaugurates the world’s largest underwater theme park. (BNA)
Bahrain inaugurates the world’s largest underwater theme park. (BNA)
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Bahrain Opens World’s Largest Underwater Theme Park

Bahrain inaugurates the world’s largest underwater theme park. (BNA)
Bahrain inaugurates the world’s largest underwater theme park. (BNA)

Bahrain’s Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism Zayed bin Rashid Al Zayani officially inaugurated Friday the world’s largest underwater theme park, Dive Bahrain.

The initial phase of the project was completed recently by submerging a 70-meter long Boeing 747, 20-22 meters below waters north of Bahrain, to become the first attraction of the 100,000 m2 theme park, said the Bahrain news agency (BNA).

Prior to the opening, the park was inspected by a group of diving professionals, who ensured all safety requirements are fully met to guarantee a safe experience for the public.

The minister said the theme park aims to further boost tourism within the strategy of Bahrain Tourism Authority (BTA) to promote the sector. He added that the park’s location was chosen according to the highest marine environment safety standards in consultation with registered dive centers.

During the official opening, the minister, Chief Executive of the Supreme Council for Environment, Dr. Mohammed Mubarak bin Daina, along with a number of professional divers carried out an inaugural dive to experience the magnificent underwater aircraft structure.

Dive Bahrain will be open to the public on Saturday.

In addition to the aircraft, the park will include several structures, such as a replica of a traditional Bahraini pearl merchant’s house, an artificial coral reef and other sculptures that will be submerged to provide a safe haven for coral reef growth and a habitat for sustainable marine life.

The eco-friendly park will also provide researchers with rich information and data on marine ecology and biology and will improve environmental awareness on the importance of preserving marine life.



70 South African White Rhinos Relocated to Rwanda

 White rhinos have been the targets of a poaching epidemic that has largely wiped them out. (AFP)
White rhinos have been the targets of a poaching epidemic that has largely wiped them out. (AFP)
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70 South African White Rhinos Relocated to Rwanda

 White rhinos have been the targets of a poaching epidemic that has largely wiped them out. (AFP)
White rhinos have been the targets of a poaching epidemic that has largely wiped them out. (AFP)

Rwanda said on Tuesday that 70 white rhinos had been successfully relocated to the Great Lakes nation after a two-day journey of some 3,000 kilometers (over 1,800 miles) from South Africa.

It was the largest ever relocation of rhinos, which can weigh up to two tons, Rwandan officials said.

Once abundant across sub-Saharan Africa, rhino numbers have dramatically fallen due to hunting by European colonizers and large-scale poaching.

The animals were transported in two loads of 35 -- first aboard a Boeing 747, then by road -- from South Africa's Munywana Conservancy to Akagera National Park in Rwanda, or about 3,000 kilometers as the crow flies, according to the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).

A "dedicated veterinary team will closely monitor their health and behavior for several weeks to ensure proper adaptation to their new environment and management of any stress associated with the move", it said in a statement.

The move was part of African Parks' Rhino Rewild Initiative, supported by The Howard G. Buffett Foundation, and aims to support population growth and secure a new breeding stronghold in Rwanda.

According to the International Rhino Foundation (IRF), rhino poaching in Africa rose by four percent from 2022 to 2023, with at least 586 rhinos poached in 2023.

The southern white rhino, one of two subspecies, is now listed as "near threatened", with roughly 17,000 individuals remaining, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The northern white rhino has all but vanished, with only two females left alive.