OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Sharks, stingrays and lots of other sea life will live at Blue Zoo inside Quail Springs Mall.

“It’s meant to educate and inspire children and gives them a hands-on experience so we have reptile petting zoos, aviary where you can interactive with the birds, and lots of underwater life,” Founder and CEO Wesley Haws said.

There are several thousand animals, and it’s OK to touch them at nine family petting stations.

“This is our manicure/pedicure tank,” Haws said.

Blue Zoo says they rescued many of the animals here.

“Our animals come from all over the world from Indonesia to Australia, East Coast, West Coast,” he said.

Blue Zoo has several interactive play tables where kids can learn about science with this vortex but also a little more about Oklahoma weather.

The 22,000-square-foot space used to be more than a half dozen stores inside the mall, including a restaurant and clothing boutique.

Now, they hope it will serve as a learning tool for children.

“And get a new appreciation for the world and the oceans and really feel like the oceans came to them in Oklahoma,” Haws said.

For more information, visit Blue Zoo’s website.

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