As Americans prepare to celebrate the 4th of July holiday, thoughts turn to summer rituals: trips to the beach, barbeques with friends and...SHARK WEEK. The annual summertime pop culture event will return to Discovery Channel on August 12, marking 25 years of celebrating the often misunderstood and feared creatures of the deep. Beginning today, viewers are invited to get a jump on the festivities and dive with sharks (no wet suit required) through Shark Cam, a live streaming underwater experience from the 6.3 million gallon Ocean Voyager Exhibit at Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, the world's largest single aquarium habitat, inside the world's largest aquarium.
In an online first, visitors to SharkWeek.com, GeorgiaAquarium.org and Ustream will have 360-degree access to the home of 33 sharks spanning seven species, which includes the largest species of shark, the whale shark, in addition to elegant rays and a full underwater ecosystem. Shark Cam audiences will be able to pan, tilt and move the 360-degree camera, powered by Immersive Media, to find their favorite shark-filled perspective. A second camera on the north side of theexhibit will offer an alternative stationary underwater view.
From August 13-16, Shark Cam visitors will be treated to twice-daily feedings and can participate in daily live chats with an underwater shark expert, submitting their questions in the social stream and to @SharkWeek on Twitter. Fin-atics can also visit SHARK WEEK on Facebook for regular updates, follow SHARK WEEK on Socialcam for Shark Cam selects, pin their favorite #SharkCam photos to a special Pinterest board and more.
For super shark fans, there is also the opportunity to go from watching to diving by participating in Georgia Aquarium's Journey with Gentle Giants Program. Guests twelve years of age and older can get face-to-fin in the Ocean Voyager exhibit while friends, family and fellow Shark Cam lovers watch the underwater adventure from home. Participants in this one-of-a-kind experience can choose to swim at the surface or dive down deeper (with SCUBA certification). For more information, visit www.georgiaaquarium.org/swim-with-whale-sharks.
Discovery Channel's SHARK WEEK is cable's longest-running programming event and will celebrate its 25th anniversary with eight all-new specials beginning Sunday, August 12 at 9pm ET/PT.
About Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which is distributed to 100.8 million U.S. homes, can be seen in 210 countries and territories, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including, science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com.
About Georgia Aquarium
Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia, is the world's largest with more than 10 million gallons of water and the largest collection of aquatic animals. The mission of Georgia Aquarium is to be an entertaining, educational and scientific institution featuring exhibits and programs of the highest standards; offering engaging and exciting guest experiences promoting the conservation of aquatic biodiversity throughout the world. Georgia Aquarium is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. For additional information on the Atlanta attraction and our animal conservation and research, visit www.georgiaaquarium.org and www.georgiaaquariumblog.org and follow Georgia Aquarium on social media at facebook.com/GeorgiaAquarium and on Twitter at @GeorgiaAquarium.
About Ustream
Ustream Inc. is the leader in live and interactive video streaming. The interactive platform connects broadcasters and viewers of unlimited size through innovative technology including co-hosting video features, IRC chat, Facebook, and Twitter. Ustream's free and premium solutions allow any broadcaster to create their own customizable channel with robust social andnotification features to enhance visibility and virility across multiple platforms. In addition to activating the embeddable features on external websites, users are able to broadcast and view content while interacting inreal-time directly from mobile phone devices, tablets, streaming players, smart TVs, and more. The company attracts millions of users ranging from music artists, celebrities, politicians, athletes, corporate executives, animal enthusiasts and gamers, all which have contributed to Ustream's Guinness World Record for the "Most Content Ingested by An Online Video Service." For more information, visit www.ustream.com andfollow Ustream on social media at facebook.com/Ustream and on Twitter at @Ustream.
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