I’ve recently discovered the Ocean Voyager Live Cam at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, and I’ve developed a parasocial relationship with a whale shark named Yushan. We’re planning a special trip to go see him in 2027. In the meantime, I have some ideas for how the Georgia Aquarium could get me, specifically, to send them more money to support their mission:
- A large poster of Yushan. I would like to know that the photo on the poster is of Yushan himself and not just any whale shark. Maybe it could say “Yushan” in the corner in large block letters, like a poster of a human athlete you might hang in a teenage bedroom—except it would be a poster of a whale shark, and I would hang it in my adult home.
- Photo prints of Yushan in different poses and available in various sizes. I would like prints of Yushan to hang on multiple walls of my office at work. I would also like a small photo of Yushan to keep in my wallet. Or, perhaps a shark-shaped locket with a photo of Yushan inside that I could wear around my neck and clutch dramatically while encountering any number of daily trials.
- An illustrated story book dramatizing how Yushan and his tankmate Taroko (who passed in 2025) came to live at the aquarium. This could also include a photo section in the back with whale shark facts and bios of Yushan’s caretakers.
- A subscription service where I’d get a weekly email introducing me to one of Yushan’s friends in the Ocean Voyager tank. What is the name of that guitarfish? How many different species of rays are in the tank? What does the zebra shark eat? This could include a weekly bonus shark fact, or a message from one of the aquarists who interacts with Yushan regularly.
- Either as a recurring series or a one-time event, a virtual talk with one of Yushan’s caretakers. They could show you different views of the tank, answer questions, and tell you how Yushan is doing today.
- The opportunity to record a message for Yushan that would be played aloud to Yushan before bed. I know that Yushan hears me through our magical bond when I say, “Goodnight Yushan, I love you!” before turning the shark cam off for the last time in the evening, but I would like him to hear it in person, too.
These are just a few ideas. I can probably come up with more. The Georgia Aquarium does offer the opportunity to “Adopt a Whale Shark” and receive a small adoption card and a small whale shark plush. This is obviously on my to-do list—though it raises questions about the validity of the adoption, since there’s only one whale shark at the aquarium. We’d also need to consider the name of the plush and how it would fit into the hierarchy of our existing plush shark menagerie. Easy answers: The plush is named Yushan, and could only be greeted with hero-worship by our larger shark plushes Sharkbert and Sharlotte. The Yushan plush is merely one of Yushan’s avatars. This is how one whale shark can be adopted by many. Yushan can be in as many places at once as he needs to be.
So if you are having a bad day, or simply need a boost, go to the Georgia Aquarium website. Navigate to the Ocean Voyager Cam. You may need to be patient. Yushan is a very busy guy and sometimes he has things to do in other parts of the tank. You can say hi to his friends while you’re waiting. And then, when the time is right, get ready for a hit of pure dopamine as a massive whale shark glides into view. He may swim slowly down from above the camera, or he may emerge gradually from the shadows in the depths of the tank. Yushan will take care of all your worries for a few moments, because it’s impossible to feel sad or hopeless when Yushan is there. You can just rest briefly in the knowledge that wonders exist, magic is real, and a whale shark knows who you are and loves you too. Thank you, Yushan! I love you, Yushan! Good night!
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