From World Wildlife Day to Global Recycling Day, these are the national animal or national environmental days you should put in your calendar.

January

Energy Savers Week

Energy Savers Week usually occurs around the middle of January, and is designed to help you be a little more energy efficient. It comes from a partnership with Energy Saving Trust and Citizens Advice, delivering helpful advice to save energy while keeping warm.

This is such an important week to be more aware of how much energy you’re using and the impact it could be having on the environment. By making just a few little changes, you could really make a difference to your carbon footprint. What’s more, with energy costs rising, it’s never been handier to learn how to manage energy bills more efficiently!

February

World Wetlands Day

Every year on the 2^nd February, World Wetlands Day takes place. This is a day dedicated to the appreciation and understanding of wetland environments, which play a vital role in our ecosystems. Wetlands typically include marshes, swamps and floodplains that are essential for absorbing excess rainfall and generally providing a natural buffer against climate change.

Wetlands are also home to a multitude of wildlife, enhancing the importance of looking after our world’s wetlands and preserving this particular ecosystem. There are a number of things you can do to help the world’s flora and fauna, including planting new shrubs and tree, reducing your energy usage and recycle your rubbish.

March

Global Recycling Day

Global Recycling Day occurs every year on the 18^th March, encouraging us to be more proactive when it comes to recycling or even reusing our used materials. The day was first introduced in 2018 to ask people across the world to make a bigger effort to recycle.

Creating an environmentally stable and greener planet is at the forefront of many people’s minds, with climate change continuing to have a huge impact on the world’s wildlife and ecosystems. Being more aware of what and how you can recycle can be a positive step forward to achieving a more sustainable world.

Spring equinox

It’s the first day of spring every year on 20^th March, signalling a new beginning when it comes to longer days and new life, including plants, insects and other wildlife. It’s the perfect time to get out and explore your local area, and gain a newfound appreciation for nature.

When it comes to celebrating the spring equinox, there’s plenty you can do, such as taking part in some spring cleaning or recycling unwanted items. It’s also the perfect time to learn how you can help local wildlife.

April

Community garden week

At the beginning of the month, community garden week celebrates the community and school gardens across the country. Not only does this highlight the beauty of revitalising urban areas with greenery and flowers, but it also plays a role in making areas more environmentally-friendly too. Planting flowers and other such actions can be crucial for bees and birds, and doing this in an otherwise built-up area can be really important for sustaining local wildlife.

World Penguin Day  

Every year on 25^th April, it’s time to celebrate and learn more about penguins! These distinctive birds are incredibly adapted to aquatic life, and World Penguin Day marks the start of the Adélie penguins’ migration journey.

Many species of penguin have been identified as vulnerable or endangered by the IUCN, and as many penguins spend the majority of their lives out at sea, it’s important that we are aware of the threats to this animal including overfishing and plastic pollution.

Save the Frogs Day

28^th April is otherwise known as Save the Frogs Day.  Almost a third of amphibian species are threatened around the world, and this day of awareness is designed to encourage people to be more mindful of how we can protect and preserve the future of these incredible creatures. Here at Bristol Aquarium we have successfully bred our own endangered frogs in our own conservation efforts. Come and see our poison dart frogs at our Edge of the Rainforest exhibit.

May

World Turtle Day

Every year on the 23^rd May is World Turtle Day! It was first launched in 2000 and recognises some of the ways in which people can help to look after their habitats and preserve their resources. This yearly observance is important as it raises awareness on the disappearing habitats of both turtles and tortoises, as many species are under threat.

There’s a whole host of things you can do to help slow down climate change and reduce the impact on the turtles’ habitat. This can include reducing your plastic usage, as well as eating more local produce. You could also change the way you travel, by taking public transport more often, or walking and cycling.

June

Garden wildlife week

Typically occurring during the first week of June, garden wildlife week serves as an opportunity to celebrate these ecosystems and helping our gardens to flourish. One of the key themes during this week is biodiversity, with the purpose of the week to encourage people to get outdoors and help nature.

Why not try making your own bird feeder to offer a source of food for your local birds, or recycle rubbish from around the house to make a bug hotel?

World Environment Day

Sponsored by the United Nations, World Environment Day falls on 5^th June every year with a varying theme to help people focus on different elements of the environment. The aim of World Environment Day is to encourage action to protect ecosystems around the world. It’s been held annually since the 1970s, and typically urges people to beat plastic pollution and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

World Ocean Day

Every year on 8^th June, World Ocean Day serves to raise awareness of the threats to our blue planet. The movement aims to persuade leader and legislators to accelerate the move towards renewable energy, phasing out single use plastics and making a bigger effort to protect and restore the ecosystems that occur in our world’s oceans.

It’s the perfect opportunity to do your bit for the world’s oceans, from conserving water to using less energy.

July

National Marine Week

Sponsored by The Wildlife Trusts, National Marine Week aims to help people learn more about our seas and just how much we owe to our world’s marine environments. Not only do marine areas have a huge impact on the environment as a whole, but they are key to tackling climate change too.

National Marine Week occurs towards the end of July, and encourages people to get involved in activities like beach cleans, conserve water and use less plastic.

September

Great British Beach Clean

Occurring towards the end of September,  the Great British Beach Clean is designed to help people get actively involved in a beach clean in their local area. Not only does this help to look after local wildlife, but it can help to campaign for change too. You can either get involved in an event near you, or organise your own beach clean!

The data collected from beach clean events can be vital in helping organisations drive positive change up and down the country.   

October

World Habitat Day

Another one organised by the United Nations, World Habitat Day falls on the first Monday of October every year. This gives people the opportunity to reflect on the state of the world’s habitats. While in some cases the event has focused on human habitats, there’s no reason why we can’t also pay attention to the habitats of animals, most of which are at risk thanks to climate change and pollution.

Reptile Awareness Day

When it comes to animal welfare, reptiles are usually the forgotten species. On 21^st October every year, it’s reptile awareness day to raise awareness of the incredible families of reptiles. This is a perfect opportunity to learn more about reptiles and what you can do to help protect the vast number of species, whether it’s being more aware of the threats to their habitats or something else!

Recycle Week

Recycle Week happens towards the end of October, with each year focusing on a specific angle when it comes to better recycling habits. The week has been going for over 20 years, inspiring people to take even more action when it comes to recycling and reusing household items. Some of the UK’s biggest brands regularly get involved, including supermarkets.

November

Oceans of Plastic Day

Oceans of Plastic Day is an annual event every November, shining the spotlight on the harmful impact of plastic pollution of marine life and ecosystems. It’s a time to reflect and make sure that you’re doing your part to reduce plastic use and waste, from using reusable materials. It’s a vital awareness day to help preserve the future of our world’s oceans and the animals that call it home.

December

International Volunteer Day

Every year on 5^th December the United Nations promotes International Volunteer Day, highlighting just how much better the world would be if more people volunteered to help solve the planet’s problems, whether that be economic or environmental. It’s a great opportunity to reflect and understand more about how you could volunteer in your local area, from helping wildlife to picking up litter.

When it comes to conservation, the team here at Bristol Aquarium are passionate about helping the future of the world’s waters and the animals that depend on them. To find out more about how we get involved in conservation and how you can help us, book your tickets and visit us!

Straddling the River Avon in southwest England, Bristol has earned a world-spanning reputation for its progressive culture and outstanding maritime heritage. But bars, restaurants, and art galleries aside, there’s no shortage of family-friendly activities here, many of which are ideal for those rainy-day visits.

So, where should you head to when the rain clouds gather? Here’s our complete guide on things to do in Bristol for families when it’s raining.

Bristol Aquarium

Where else to start than Bristol Aquarium? Sure, we may be biased, but for our money, this is the best family attraction in Bristol for wet weather days – or any day for that matter!

Fully covered and brimming with colourful marine animals, Bristol Aquarium is sure to delight the little ones, helping them forget all about the drizzly conditions outdoors. And with seven unique exhibits to explore, there’s certainly plenty to keep you all occupied, no matter how long the showers last.

From the Sunken Shipwreck to the Bay of Rays, each zone of Bristol Aquarium is designed to mimic habitats found in our seas and oceans, all while showcasing the incredible animals that live there. Expect to see everything from the smooth-hound shark to the Atlantic wreckfish, before paying a visit to the Learning Lab to get up close to the aquarium’s cute-as-a-button nursery displays.

Tickets to Bristol Aquarium are available to book in advance on our website and it is possible to pay on the door if you’ve experienced a sudden downfall! If rain is forecast during your visit to Bristol and you’re keen to visit the aquarium, we’d strongly advise you to prebook, as lots of people may have the same idea.

Bristol Hippodrome

If you’re looking to stay clear of the bad weather for a good few hours, heading to the theatre for a mid-afternoon matinee is always a great option. And it just so happens that Bristol is home to one of the largest and most successful theatres outside of London – the irreplaceable, irresistible Hippodrome.

Opening its doors in 1912, the Bristol Hippodrome instantly became one of the largest theatres with one of the largest stages in the country. Since then, it’s earned a reputation for its award-winning stage shows and musicals, many of which come straight from London’s West End to the affectionately named “Bristol West End Theatre”.

Recent big-name shows to grace the boards of the Hippodrome include The Lion King, The Mousetrap, Shrek the Musical, and Annie, with tickets still available throughout 2023. There are, of course, plenty of child-friendly matinee showings too – ideal if you need to keep the kids occupied when the weather has taken a turn for the worse.

Check out the official Bristol Hippodrome website for further information and to book your tickets.

Bristol Museum & Art Gallery

If you’ve done Bristol Aquarium and are keen to keep the engaging, kid-friendly fun coming, the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery should be next on your rainy-day hitlist. Located in the heart of the city, this expansive visitor centre offers a huge array of exciting exhibits, many of which are interactive – enough to keep even the most restless of young daytrippers busy.

Remarkably, Bristol Museum features over 20 unique gallery spaces, each packed to the rafters with incredible objects and exhibits. While younger visitors may not find every gallery as exciting as the last, there is still enough here to occupy families for hours on end.

Young dino enthusiasts are well catered for here, with the ferocious and frankly terrifying “Sea Dragons” exhibit offering a snapshot of what might have been found swimming off Bristol’s shores millions of years ago.

Elsewhere, a dedicated exhibit for under-fives called Curious offers a perfect blend of performance, games, and interaction, while the Egyptology collection is ideal if the kids are currently covering the Pharaohs in school.

The Georgian House Museum

Immersive visitor attractions like Bristol’s The Georgian House Museum are always a huge hit with children, so we’d definitely recommend a visit whether it’s raining or not. This impressive site offers a life-like look at what a Bristolian manor house looked like in the 18th century, with a collection of expertly preserved and recreated rooms to explore.

Downton Abbey fan? The Georgian House Museum may have a familiar feel. Because while it can’t match the grandeur of Highclere Castle – Downtown’s original filming location – it has the same upstairs, downstairs feel. Visitors can tour the house’s grand upper chambers which were once home to Bristol’s well-heeled gentry, before descending to the lower levels where the cooks, cleaners, and chambermaids spent much of their time.

The Georgian House Museum has 11 explorable rooms in total, spread over four floors in their original configuration. Families can enjoy wandering from room to room imagining what life was like all those years ago, with special exhibits that tell the story of some of the house’s former and at times infamous inhabitants. This includes John Pinney, the original owner of The Georgian Museum, who made his fortune as a sugar merchant and slave owner.

M Shed

One of our favourite family attractions in Bristol – aside from our aquarium, of course – has to be M Shed. This charming museum tells the story of Bristol from its earliest origins right up to the present day, with a wonderful collection of interactive exhibits for families to enjoy. And best of all? Much of it is under cover – ideal for those rainy afternoons that can make city breaks tricky for those with young’uns in tow.

M Shed consists of three unique galleries, each shining a light on Bristol’s curious and compelling origins. Your journey begins in the prehistoric period, with a spectacular Thecodontosaurus skeleton to marvel at, before you move through history, learning the story of the city’s proud maritime past.

Of course, the attention spans of younger visitors can wander quickly, so to solve this, M Shed offers up plenty of exhibits that keep the fun and stimulation coming. That includes working cranes, trains, and boats that can all be ridden and explored, moving audio and visual shows, and tons of interactive displays that encourage viewer participation. The result of all this leaves a lasting impression, making M Shed a must-visit destination whatever the weather.

Flying Saucers The Painting Pottery Cafe

Should the rain show no sign of letting up during your family holiday in Bristol, you and the little ones can while away a relaxing and creativity-packed hour or two at Flying Saucers The Painting Pottery Cafe.

This unique visitor centre tells the story of Bristol’s rich pottery-producing past, before encouraging you to get creative with your own wares. Visitors can spend a couple of hours designing and painting their own traditional Bristolian pottery piece, which, once fired by specialists in the cafe’s on-site kiln, is perfectly usable and the ideal souvenir to remember your trip.

No skill, tools or specialist knowledge are required to paint and design your own piece of pottery. The cafe provides everything you’ll need, and the helpful staff are always on hand to help or provide inspiration. There’s no upper or lower age limit on who can get involved in the pottery design, either, so the whole family are welcome to join in and show off their creative side.

Of course, spaces are limited at Flying Saucers, so if it’s something you’re keen to try during your visit to Bristol, it’s worth booking in advance. Pottery painting sessions are available to book in two-hour slots, ideal if the weather’s starting to look a little grim. Visit the official website to learn more.

Whatever the weather, Bristol is a fantastic place to visit for a day, a weekend or even a week, with so much to see and do indoors and out. Keen to add Bristol Aquarium to your travel itinerary? Access up-to-date visitor information about the aquarium and book your tickets.

Flounder

Flounder is one of the main characters in the movie and is Ariel’s best friend. He is a bright yellow and blue fish with big, expressive eyes. Flounder is a loyal friend to Ariel and often accompanies her on her adventures.

Flounder is more than likely some type of angelfish or some other similar vibrantly coloured reef fish. Though the exact species has never been agreed upon.

Sebastian

Sebastian is a red Jamaican crab who serves as King Triton’s advisor. Although he is not technically a fish, Sebastian is an important character in the film.

He is known for his musical numbers, including “Under the Sea” and “Kiss the Girl.”

There has been speculation as to whether Sebastian is a Lobster, but after much debate, people seem to have settled on the fact he is a crab.

Step aside Sebastian, there’s a new Red Hairy Hermit Crab in town!

Flotsam and Jetsam

They are a pair of electric eels who serve as the henchmen of the movie’s main villain, Ursula.

Flotsam and Jetsam are slimy, sinuous creatures with glowing green eyes and sharp teeth! The film does sadly give eels a bad reputation. We promise the eels in our aquarium won’t lure you to a sea witch!

Making their acting debut…say hello to Fun Size and Crunchy!

Blowfish

Blowfish are seen briefly in the movie as one of the many sea creatures who attend King Triton’s concert. They are easily recognizable by their puffy, spiky appearance.

Lionfish

Lionfish are another type of tropical fish that are briefly shown during the concert scene. They have distinctive stripes and venomous spines on their fins. We have lionfish in the aquarium, they are beautiful fish that are a real sight to see!

School of Fish

Throughout the film, there are many scenes featuring schools of fish swimming in unison. Also, these fish come in a variety of colors and shapes, and as a result, their movements add to the overall visual spectacle of the movie!

Overall, “The Little Mermaid” features a wide variety of fish and other sea creatures. Each fish has their own unique personalities and appearances. From Flounder’s cute nature to the eels ominous presence, these fish help bring the underwater world of the movie to life.

If you want to come and be part of our underwater world, book your tickets today!

As you’re being mesmerized by the beautiful array of creatures swimming over your head, it’s sometimes easy to miss the finer details.

What is the Fish Cam series?

The Fish Cam series is a new video film series that hopes to highlight the fish in the Aquarium that are often overlooked. This video below was filmed in the Ocean Tunnel in our Coral Seas Exhibit.

How many fish can you spot?

Where was this Fish Cam filmed?

Our Coral Seas display is the centerpiece of the Aquarium. This spectacular display themed on a warm water coral reef provides an awe-inspiring home to over 250 marine animals!

At over 250,000 liters this massive display is where our Cownose Rays can be found patrolling the reef alongside cleaner wrasse, eels, oriental sweetlips, soldierfish, and numerous other colourful species.

And of course, the reef wouldn’t be complete without Nemo and Dory!

You’ll get to witness the heart of a coral reef filled with colourful sea anemones and corals. There’s also a special floor-to-ceiling viewing window at the end of the tunnel. Spot the pufferfish, rays, eels and tropical fish who all call this reef home.

We’re hoping the introduction of our Fish Cam will help guests see a range of animals that they may normally miss on their visits.

Come and join us for the Easter holidays as we embark on our Prehistoric Sealife adventure! We’re taking visitors back in time to learn all about the ancient rulers of the sea.

Book your tickets here!

The film follows the story of Johnny and his aircrew from March 1943, on joining a newly formed squadron, for a top-secret, special operation that has the potential to shorten the war in Europe.

Johnny describes the dangerous low-flying training and events leading up to the operational briefing on May 16 1943.

Johnny and his crew finally discover what they are expected to do and are presented with what seems like an impossible task. They are to fly at 100 feet in a four-engine Lancaster bomber at night, over many miles of occupied enemy territory. On reaching the target, they need to drop a new weapon that has never before been tried operationally, with pinpoint accuracy, in a way they had not practiced, and then make their way back home safely. Nothing like this had ever been attempted.

Johnny provides a fascinating insight from an aircrew perspective of what it was like to be a part of one of the most famous RAF’s bombing operations of World War 2, the Dambusters raid.

Our doors open at 6:30 pm and the film and question and answer session runs from 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm. The main feature (which is an hour long) is followed by a second shorter film (10 minutes) together with Q&A with the Director Andrew Panton and other members of the production team.

Click here to watch the film trailer.

Click here to learn more about the film.

Tickets Available at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/attack-on-sorpe-dam-premiere-george-johnny-johnsons-dambusters-story-tickets-501293180397

Tickets are £25 each. Please note that we have unreserved seating at this event. This cinema is accessible for all, with access for wheelchair users. Please bring along your confirmation email, which will be your ticket for the evening.

Bristol Aquarium will be transforming into a port terminal this Summer Holidays to take its visitors on a voyage across the world’s oceans.

Visitors will pick up their tickets and passport at the check-in desk, take part in a postcard trail around the aquarium to fill in their passport and get involved in all of our scheduled activities.

Pack your bags and head to Bristol Aquarium this Summer to see our underwater animals up close!

Bristol Aquarium will be open from 10am until 6pm (last entry at 5pm) from Thursday 21st July 2022 to Sunday 4th September 2022.

The event is included in the usual admission price and tickets can be purchase online in advance or at the ticket desk. Bristol Aquarium does not operate on a ticket booking system so you do not need to choose a date for a visit, simply turn up on a date of your choosing. Tickets are valid for redemption for 6 months from the purchase date.

Mammals

What Are Mammals?

Mammals are vertebrate animals, meaning they have a spinal cord surrounded by cartilage or bone. They’re characterised by having mammary glands, which produce milk for their young, as well as fur or hair, and a neocortex in their brain; this controls things like spatial awareness, reasoning and the perception of senses.
Mammals are divided into three subclasses based on how they reproduce and give birth to their young. These are placentals, marsupials and monotremes. If you’re wondering which of these us humans fall into, it’s placentals.

What Differentiates Mammals from Other Animals?

There are five things which differentiate mammals from other animals, like fish and amphibians. These are:

• Presence of hair or fur
• Warm blood
• Mammary glands
• A complex brain, with a neocortex
• Produce live young (except for monotremes, which lay eggs)

Fish

What Are Fish?

Fish are marine animals that live in water and don’t breathe air. Instead, they have gills which are used to extract oxygen from water – meaning they rely on a constant supply of water to survive.
There are hundreds of different fish living in our oceans, rivers and lakes, and biologists continue to uncover new species. When they reproduce, they lay lots of small, soft eggs, but only a few of these will survive to adulthood. Fish come in all sorts of different sizes, ranging from the biggest, the whale shark, to the smallest, the dwarf minnow, which are only a few millimetres long.

What Differentiates Fish from Other Animals?

There are a handful of differences between fish and other animals you need to be aware of, including:

• All fish are cold-blooded, or ‘ectothermic’. This means they rely on external sources to regulate their body heat. That’s why some species stick to warm waters, while others have adapted to survive in cold climates
• All fish live in water, and rely on it for their survival. They’re the only animal on Earth that is confined to one singular habitat type
• Fish use gills to breathe, extracting oxygen from water
• Fish have no limbs, instead relying on their fins and muscles to move through the water

Crustaceans

What Are Crustaceans?

Crustaceans are animals which belong to the invertebrate family, meaning they have no spinal column. All of these unusual animals have a shell and move around on jointed legs, while many also have pincers, which they use to grip things and as a form of defence. Most live in the water, including crabs, prawns, shrimps and lobsters, while some, like woodlice, live on land.
Like fish and mammals, crustaceans come in a vast variety of different shapes, sizes and colours. The smallest crustacean on Earth is believed to the pea crab (about the size of – you guessed it – a pea), while the largest is the Japanese spider crab, which can grow up to 4 metres in diameter – yikes!

What Differentiates Crustaceans from Other Animals?

To help you understand the difference between crustaceans and other animals, here are some of the important features to note:

• Crustaceans have an exoskeleton (their shell) which ‘moults’ as they grow
• All crustaceans also have ‘biramous’ limbs, meaning two-parted. This differentiates them from insects and myriapods
• Crustaceans breathe in different ways depending on their size. Larger species have gills like fish, while smaller crustaceans breathe through their bodies
• Crustaceans live in water and on land

Molluscs

What Are Molluscs?

Molluscs are invertebrate animals that have soft, unsegmented bodies. They usually live in damp or underwater environments, and include species like snails, slugs, mussels, octopuses and squids.
Lots of molluscs are wholly or partly contained within a shell, which is designed to protect them from predators. Marine molluscs, those that live in the sea, breathe through gills, while those on land exchange gas with air through something called the ‘mantle cavity’.

What Differentiates Molluscs from Other Animals?

If you want to learn the difference between molluscs and other animals, here are some of the things you need to know:

• Molluscs are invertebrates, meaning they don’t have a spine. Their bodies are soft, and aren’t segmented like those of annelids, like worms
• Lots of people get crustaceans and molluscs mixed up because of their shells. Some molluscs grow shells as a means of defence, while others don’t
• Molluscs can live in water and on land. This is what differentiates how they breathe

Reptiles

What Are Reptiles?

Reptiles are air-breathing vertebrate animals that include species like crocodiles, snakes, lizards and tortoises. They can live on or at sea, but unlike fish, they need to come up for air – just like mammals.
Like fish, reptiles are cold-blooded creatures, so they need to find ways to regulate their body temperature. One of the ways they do this is through their tough skin, which is made up of scales and bony plates, perfect for insulation and defence. Most reptiles have a slow metabolism, meaning they don’t grow very fast, and so can live to some impressive ages.

What Differentiates Reptiles from Other Animals?

Generally speaking, reptiles sit between mammals and fish from an evolutionary standpoint, and share similarities with both. Here are some of the things to remember about these curious creatures:

• Reptiles are cold blooded, like fish. That’s why you’ll often find lizards lazing in the sun, warming themselves up
• Some reptiles lay eggs, and they’ll often incubate them like birds. However, some give birth to live young, like mammals
• Reptiles breathe oxygen through the lungs, just like mammals. However, they can swim underwater for an impressively long time
• Reptiles have scaly skin

Amphibians

What Are Amphibians?

Amphibians are small invertebrate animals that rely on a wet or moist environment to survive. That’s because they absorb oxygen from water through glands in their skin.
There are many different types of amphibians, including frogs, toads, newts and salamanders. Some of them may look like reptiles, but they’re very different, and amphibians must always be in a moist environment for their survival.

What Differentiates Amphibians from Other Animals?

Often get amphibians and reptiles mixed up? Here are some of the things you need to remember when deciding if something is an amphibian or not.

• Amphibians will always be found near water, and rely on it for absorbing oxygen through glands in their skin
• Amphibians, like fish and reptiles, are cold-blooded, so they rely on external sources to regulate their body temperature
• They have scale-less skin, unlike fish and reptiles
• One of the biggest dangers amphibians face is dehydration
• Some amphibians can change colour when they feel threatened; this is used as a defence mechanism

Take Our Creatures Classification Quiz!

Now that you know the difference between mammals, fish, crustaceans, molluscs, reptiles and amphibians, it’s time to put your new-found knowledge to the test by taking our creatures classification quiz.
All you have to do is match the animal with the correct classification category. Sound simple? Give our quiz a try below.

How did you get on? Do you really know your molluscs from your mammals? Or are you left scratching your head? We’d love to hear how you did, so get in touch with your score on the Bristol Aquarium Facebook page.
Looking to learn more about the creatures of the deep and what sets them apart? Join us for a memorable day out at Bristol Aquarium, where our knowledgeable experts can help bring you closer to the wonders of the deep. For more information, visit the homepage today.

The legends of mermaids have changed and evolved over the years, with some saying if you stand near the ocean at night you might hear an enchanting song, or even catch a glimpse of such a creature retreating in the moonlight. So, let’s have a closer look at the history of mermaids, as well as some fascinating sightings and fun facts.

What is a mermaid?

A mermaid typically has the top half of a woman, and a fish’s tail below the waist. If you’ve seen The Little Mermaid, this is a fun, animated version of this enigmatic creature, but the appearance of a mermaid changes slightly across different cultures. In English, the name mermaid comes from “mere”, which is Old English for sea, and “maid” meaning girl or young woman.

These half-human, half-fish creatures are present in nearly every culture, from Europe to Asia. In Western Europe, mermaids are known as Melusine, which has a serpent or fish’s tail and sometimes wings. In Southeast Asia, folklore tells the story of a mermaid princess who is a good luck charm across the likes of Thailand and Cambodia. Scotland is home to the Selkies, who take on the form of seals when in the water and humans when on land.

However, the very first mermaid legend dates back to around 1000 BC in Syria. The legend goes that the goddess Atargatis dove into a lake in order to take on the form of a fish. The gods would not allow her to give up her beauty, and so only her bottom half became a fish.

Is a siren and mermaid the same thing?

Over the years, mermaids have been known in folklore to represent good luck but also disaster. In much of British culture, mermaids are believed to be a bad omen.

However, this has been a growing misconception that mermaids are the ones responsible for causing danger across the seas. It is in fact sirens that are more malicious creatures, often luring sailors to the untimely passing with enchanting songs.

In Greek mythology, sirens were depicted as half-women, half-bird and not sea creatures at all. This is also the case in Homer’s Odyssey, whereby the sirens would sing a song to entice sailors into the rocky areas of the sea.

Have mermaids been seen in real life?

For centuries, sailors, fishermen and others have reported sightings of mermaids, including none other than Christopher Colombus. Travelling through the Caribbean Islands, Colombus claims to have seen three mermaids, but many historians now believe that what he really saw were manatees, which hadn’t been discovered at that time.

The English pirate Blackbeard also recorded seeing mermaids across the West indies in the 18^th century, but some believe that he just wanted others to stay away from the area so he could claim it as his turf.

There have, however, also been much more recent sightings of mermaids. In 1943, Japanese soldiers claim they were attacked by a mermaid creature. The commanding officer ordered the creature to be caught, and it’s claimed the locals delivered a body with arms and face of a human, but the rest with an appearance of a fish. The body was lost through history, so we’ll never know for sure!

In 1998, ten scuba divers spotted a woman swimming with dolphins in Hawaii, but what makes this strange is that the woman had no clothes on, and when she jumped out of the water, all the divers agreed she had the body of a fish.

As recent as 2012, mermaid sightings have been recorded in Zimbabwe. While building a dam, workers said they saw mermaids swimming up to them. In this part of the world, mermaids are bad luck and so the workers refused to continue working on the dams – they are still unfinished today!

Many people these days believe that the mermaid sightings reported around Bristol and South West England over the years could actually have been other creatures, such as seals or large fish. Or merely the hallucinations of lonely sailors. Even so, modern sightings continue to be reported. After tourists claimed to have spotted a mermaid off the coast of Israel, the local tourist board offered a million dollars to the first person to photograph such a creature. In these days of social media and smartphones, will someone finally snap one of these mermaids for all to see? Or will they continue to remain mysterious and elusive as they have done for hundreds of years?

Meet Bristol’s own mermaid!

Bristol Aquarium’s very own real-life mermaid will be visiting us during the August bank holiday to tell us plenty of ‘tails’ of life beneath the sea. Come and catch a glimpse of her for yourself from 26^th-28^th August!