TULSA, Okla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Oklahoma Aquarium is celebrating Shark Week 2018 with an unprecedented event – a member of the public diving with the bull sharks. The Oklahoma Aquarium is home to the world’s largest collection of bull sharks in captivity.
The Oklahoma Aquarium received 1,039 applicants from divers across 36 states as part of the inaugural contest for a chance to dive among the 10 bull sharks. The contest garnered national media attention, and Oklahoma-native Jodi Cooper’s name was drawn from among the prospective contestants.
Cooper’s dive with the bull sharks occurs on Thursday, July 26 at 6 pm Central Standard Time at the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks, Okla.
An avid diver for more than 20 years, Cooper’s dive suit will be accessorized for the first time to include a specialized, 45 pound chain mail suit. The chain mail prevents the bull shark from biting through the suit, however, bull sharks have the strongest bite of any shark species and can chomp with more than 1,300 pounds of force.
“My daughter sent me a news article she had read about the contest and encouraged me to enter,” said Cooper. “I absolutely love sharks. I have a huge amount of respect for these creatures and am humbled to be a guest in their house.”
Bull sharks are best known by their aggressive behavior and are considered one of the most dangerous of the shark species. They are found in warm shallow waters across all oceans of the world. Bull sharks live up to 16 years in the wild, grow from seven to 11.5 feet and weigh anywhere between 200-500 pounds. Currently, the aquarium has 10 bull sharks in the collection.
For more information, visit www.okaquarium.org.
