With less than a month until the opening ceremony, Olympic fever has well and truly set in across Britain.
No more so than in Hull, where the local aquarium has created its own glowing tribute to the Olympic Torch Relay.
After having played host to the flame on its national tour, The Deep decided to add Torch Coral to its huge 4.5 metre-wide underwater garden tank.
Euphyllia Torch coral, to give it its full name, has long flowing tentacles with glowing yellow tips, making it look like hundreds of tiny torches.
Now for the science bit…
Classified as a “near threatened species”, Euphyllia Glabrescens is found in the wild on coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific, Australian and Indian Oceans and, more rarely, in the Red Sea.
The rounded tips at the end of its tentacles are covered in a high concentration of stinging cells, allowing it to capture plankton and defend against predators.
Don’t say you don’t learn something new everyday with this blog!
We admit, coral, torch-like or not, probably isn’t worth the visit to an aquarium alone. The Deep’s got 3,500 species of fish (including sharks and rays and Europe’s only pair of green sawfish), daily animal feedings and Europe’s deepest viewing tunnel. All of which might encourage you to make the trip to Hull.
If not you can always the sample the life aquatic with this relaxing torch coral video.
The Deep is open every day from 10am to 6pm (excluding Christmas Eve and Christmas Day). Tickets cost £10.50 for adults, £8.50 for children (under three’s are free) and £9.50 for OAPs. A family ticket is available at £34.
Read all our Olympic Games coverage:
You don’t have to break a sweat to win gold! Pan for it!
Get up close and personal with Olympians at Madame Tussauds
Oddest places to stay during the Olympic Games
Olympic county Dorset’s cultural Olympiad
Olympic mascots through the years [pictures]
5 things you didn’t know about the London Olympics
Arrive at the Games, Olympian style
Where to watch the Olympics if you don’t have a ticket
Scale an Olympic venue – the O2 Arena
London’s new cable car – the Emirates Air Line
#FollowFriday: Olympic Tweeps to follow on Twitter
Ways to avoid the Olympics in London this summer
Written by insider city guide series Hg2 | A Hedonist’s guide to…
(Image: The Deep)
