Aquarium Manager spends Christmas day looking after Blackpool's turtles and sharks

Scott talked us through his Christmas Day duties, which includes preparing food, monitoring the animals, and giving a turtle a back rub.

An aquarium manager is spending his 16th Christmas Day in a row caring for sea-turtles, sharks, and sting-rays.

As the Head Aquarist at Blackpool's Sea Life, Scott Blacker has swapped his diving suit for a Santa costume while feeding the animals.

Turtles, black tip reef sharks, and stingrays are just some of the sea creatures Scott is caring for.

He has already spent this Christmas Eve sleeping under the Ocean habitat so he can wake-up with his much loved creatures on Christmas Day.

Scott said: “It’s a privilege working Christmas Day as it is the only day of the year SEA LIFE Blackpool closes and we get the animals all to ourselves.

"There’s not many people who can say they get to spend the 25 December with magnificent sea creatures!"

Scott will also be joined by fellow Aquarist Dale Smith. Together, they'll check on all the animals and test the water.

Most of their day will be spent feeding the animals. Some of them, such as the seahorses and jellyfish, need to be fed six times a day.

One of Scott's most important jobs is to give their sea turtle a back rub. Credit: SEA LIFE BLACKPOOL

They'll also be cleaning some of the animals. Phoenix the turtle will receive her daily back scrub, and her usual lunch of lettuce will be swapped for brussel sprouts.

Despite Christmas Day being the one day of the year when the aquarium is closed, the lights and music will stay on so the animals are not disturbed.

Scott said: “As on any other day, the animals’ welfare is our top priority. Although, in the main it is business as usual - feeding the animals and undertaking their enrichment programmes - it has become tradition for me to dress up as Santa and sing a few carols and Christmas songs to the sea creatures - ‘We wish you a Merry Fishmas’ is very popular!"

Scott and Dale will stay at the Aquarium until 1pm.

Scott said: “We’ll then head home to our families for Christmas dinner before returning for another couple of hours in the afternoon to undertake our final checks, turn off the lights, and wish all the other SEA LIFE teams across the UK, a Merry Christmas by sharing a picture of us in our festive outfits.”

Scott joined Sea Life Blackpool in 1998 and this year was recognised by Merlin Entertainment with a 25 year service award.

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