RÍO DE JANEIRO — Santa Claus has made quite the splash in Rio de Janeiro this holiday season, quite literally! Beginning Saturday, visitors can catch a glimpse of Santa swimming with sharks at the AquaRio Marine Aquarium during daily feeding sessions as part of the city’s Christmas festivities.
Nine-year-old Guilherme Martins Matos shared his excitement about spotting Santa—at least a Santa look-alike—at the mall. “That was cool,” he said, “but this is even better!” He added, “Just imagine him underwater feeding the fish. It’s so much more awesome!”
This underwater Santa is actually Felippe Luna, a 39-year-old senior animal caretaker at AquaRio. What started off as a lighthearted joke among the staff has blossomed into an annual tradition. Dressed as Santa, Luna dives into the massive 3,500 cubic meter (924,602 gallons) tank to feed marine creatures, including sharks. “For kids, seeing Santa underwater is incredible. And Santa hand-feeding a shark? That’s something they’ll never forget,” said Luna.
You can catch Santa’s underwater antics every day at AquaRio until December 25th at 1:30 PM. It’s a festive event that adds a unique twist to holiday celebrations in Rio, capturing the imaginations of both young and old alike.
