What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/1318249
8 WHAT'S UP! DECEMBER 13-19, 2020 FAQ Aquarium at the Boardwalk WHEN — Hours vary by day; please check the website for the most up-to-date schedule WHERE — 2700 W. 76 Country Blvd. in Branson COST — $19.99-$39.99 INFO — aquariumattheboard walk.com or (417) 335-FISH FEATURE A Peek Into The Deep New aquarium brings sea creatures to Branson BECCA MARTIN-BROWN NWA Democrat-Gazette S teve Bitter sounds a lot like a proud papa — but he's got more "children" to care for than he can count. Bitter is the director of husbandry at Branson's brand-new Aquarium at the Boardwalk, and he's responsible for more than 7,500 sea creatures, along with 16 aquarists and life support specialists. It's a passion that was born when Bitter was just a kid himself. "I grew up in the Arizona desert and visited the California coast when I was about 7 or 8," he remembers. "This started a lifelong fascination with the world underwater." A job in a pet store's fish department — "I had a ball watching them, caring for them and talking about them with customers" — eventually led Bitter to the Marine Aquarium Conference at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. "I was overwhelmed to learn that caring for fish in aquariums was a real profession in an amazing industry," he marvels. "Over the last 15 years, I moved to Tampa and worked at The Florida Aquarium as a senior biologist, then went home to Tempe, Ariz., and worked as the curator at Sea Life. From there, I became part of Sea Life's global development team and opened seven aquariums in the U.S., China, Japan, Malaysia and the United Kingdom. "Last year, I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to come and work on this beautiful aquarium project," he says. "My wife, Heidi, and I moved to Branson, and we love the community. It's been a joy to work with Kuvera Partners on building the aquarium, and now that we're open, I'm especially excited that I get to work with the really fantastic husbandry team that we have at this facility." Being in on the ground floor meant The Grand Aquarium houses everything from sharks and rays to small damselfish and wrasses, Bitter says. (Courtesy Photo)