Don’t be fooled by the famous sharks you see on the big screen – their fearsome reputation is actually a myth. Plus, they’re much closer to home than you think.

Like many aquatic creatures, there’s more to rays (batoids) than meets the eye. With more than 600 different species around the world, rays are the largest group of cartilaginous fish.

Although we humans have only dipped our toes when it comes to marine exploration, we have already discovered so much about the world beneath the waves.

  Like many aquatic creatures, there’s more to rays (batoids) than meets the eye. With more than 600 different species around the world, rays are the largest group of cartilaginous fish.

Our oceans are fascinating places – experts estimate that they are home to somewhere between 700,000 and 1 million different species. With water covering 71% of the Earth’s surface, our oceans remain one of the last unexplored places on the planet: a fact that grips the attention of children, whatever their age.

Finding the perfect school trip can be a difficult task, you have health-and-safety forms and a budget to contend with, and a group of energetic children to educate and entertain for the day. If you’re planning your next school trip, look no further than Bristol Aquarium

One of the ocean’s most fascinating creatures, octopuses have continually amazed scientists around the world due to their many spectacular features and talents. They’re unlike any other creature you’ll find in the ocean, due to their eight arms, three hearts, blue blood, and boneless (invertebrate) bodies.

A coral reef is an underwater eco-system that is composed of a large number of corals. Corals are living creatures classed as ‘marine invertebrates’, with each individual coral referred to as a ‘polyp’.

Sharks are amazing creatures, and so much has been discovered about them in recent years. Despite their ferocious reputation, these underwater giants make up an impressive part of the world’s oceans, from the cold northern seas, to the tropical Caribbean.