Physical Features
Lakeland region has many notable physical features, including valleys, hills, woodlands and lakes. Living in and around these features are animals which make the area all the more interesting.
The Lakes Aquarium lies in Lakeside, Cumbria along the southern shore of Lake Windermere. Getting to the park should not be a problem once you get to M6 Junction 36. Here, you will find fish symbols that will direct you to the aquarium. You can also use public transport, the steam train or a boat to get to the park.
The Animals
There are creatures in the ranges of hundreds in the park, and they include both local and exotic species. You are sure to enjoy the variety. Here’s what the park has in store for you:
Local Wildlife
The Pike
The pike is quite a fascinating creature, owing to its strong predator abilities. They not only prey on smaller fish but they also attempt to eat species of their size — a fully developed pike measures between forty and fifty-five centimetres on average. However, some grow to be much bigger than this, and there are records of a one hundred and ten-centimetre pike captured in Windermere. They prey on other fish by lying in the weeds where they can blend in with the environment before ambushing their prey. They move at speeds of up to sixty kilometres in an hour and are thus quite useful in their preying. They accordingly rank as the supreme predators in the lakes.
The Arctic Charr
This fish is essential to environmentalists as it helps them gauge how bad the climate change is at any given point. It is native to the subarctic coastal waters and is the most northerly of all freshwater fish in the park. Environmentalists use them as barometers by gauging which regions they occupy. At present, they lie along the southernmost limit of their natural territory. Any changes as to this will indicate a positive or negative change in climate and these creatures are thus essential.
Thornback Ray
The thornback is quite a fascinating creature. It has a flattened body in the shape of the kite as well as a long and thorny tail. Its hue lies in the ranges of white and cream. This fish is common along the Morecambe Bay as well as other parts in Cumbria.
Pipefish
As their name suggests, these fish have pipe-like shapes. This structure poses a challenge when it comes to moving in water. As such, they tend to be slow, and they take breaks quite often during their move.
Diving Ducks
These animals occupy regions near freshwater as well as estuaries where they can get food below the water. They are very good at flying. However, they face challenges when taking off and they thus have to run fast before gaining enough speed to fly. Landing on land is not as easy for them as it is for other duck species and you should be in for a rare treat on the same.
Clownfish
Their orange and white stripes earn them the name, and they look quite lovely on a silver screen. These fish are native to warm waters such as those in the Pacific and Indian oceans.
The Piranha
The piranha has strong jaw muscles that enable it to cut through bones and meat with ease. It is important to note that they are omnivorous, and they can thus survive on both meat and plants. In addition to these species, visitors also get to see the pufferfish and the blind cavefish. Other animals in the park include otters, frogs, axolotls and harvest mice.
A visit to the Lakes Aquarium is sure to be picturesque.