Parts of Torquay’s coastal zoo have been transformed with stunning new exhibits, new species and the latest technology. Among the new animals are poisonous blue-spotted ray, upside-down jellyfish and horseshoe crab - a prehistoric species unchanged since the time of the dinosaurs.

Mangroves: The Roots of the Sea opens on Wednesday 16th July, coinciding with the attraction’s fifth birthday. It is Britain’s first major exhibit based on a mangrove habitat. Jungle explorer Indiana Jones (in the form of a professional actor) will dodge giant boulders and escape poisonous snakes in the dramatic launch on Wednesday.

Living Coasts Director Elaine Hayes explained: “When you leave the upper area you descend into a mangrove forest. The ramp takes you from the top of the canopy, featuring firefly, bat and proboscis monkey models and sound and lighting effects, down into an underworld of roots and foliage. You are immersed in the mangroves, exploring the swamp and discovering exotic species as you go.”

Mangroves have been described as the roots of the sea. They are found in places as diverse as Bangladesh, Florida, the Philippines, Thailand, Guyana and Sri Lanka.

Elaine Hayes: “We have focussed on mangroves because they are delicate, complex, dynamic ecosystems. The destruction of mangroves has been dramatic, caused by over-exploitation, human development and pollution.”

Living Coasts, a registered charity, received a grant of £800,000 from the Regional Development Agency to support the work. The planned developments will continue until March 2009 – and the theme of constant change in the future means that Living Coasts will have something new every year to bring people back.