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Paula the penguin from the Newport Aquarium pays a visit to the Indy Style set

Newport Aquarium’s all-new Shark Bridge – the only rope suspension bridge in North America where guests can walk just inches above nearly two dozen sharks – is scheduled to open to the public 10 a.m. Thursday, April 30.

The Shark Bridge is a 75-foot-long, V-shaped rope bridge suspended over the open waters of the Surrounded by Sharks exhibit’s 385,000-gallon tank. Should guests dare to cross, the Shark Bridge offers the thrill of walking closely atop sharks, shark rays, stingrays and hundreds of fish from an unrivaled vantage point.

A family-friendly attraction, Shark Bridge is included with admission to Newport Aquarium.

Commemorating the opening of the Shark Bridge, Newport Aquarium has added extremely rare scalloped hammerhead sharks into the Surrounded by Sharks exhibit.

After the scalloped hammerheads went into the Surrounded by Sharks exhibit April 27-29, Newport Aquarium now has the largest collection of scalloped hammerhead sharks on display in North America, as well as one of the largest in the world.

Each of Newport Aquarium’s scalloped hammerhead sharks were born in 2014 during the months of June and July near Kaneohe Bay in Hawaii, one of the most the most stable breeding grounds for the endangered species. Over time, these juveniles will triple in size as adult scalloped hammerhead sharks can grow up to 14 feet in length and more than 300 pounds.

In June 2014, scalloped hammerheads became the first species of shark protected by the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

For more information on Newport Aquarium, visit NewportAquarium.com or call toll free 800-406-FISH (3474).