Diver Felipe Luna, dressed in a Santa Claus suit, swims inside a tank at the AquaRio Marine Aquarium as part of an annual Christmas tradition, in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024.
Santa Claus has arrived in Rio de Janeiro — under water.
Starting on Saturday, he’ll be spotted at AquaRio Marine Aquarium swimming with sharks during their daily fish feeding sessions as part of the city’s Christmas festivities.
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Nine-year-old Guilherme Martins Matos said he’d seen Santa — or at least an impersonator — at the mall. That was cool, he said, but this was better.
“Imagine him under water feeding the fish? It’s even cooler,” Guilherme told The Associated Press.
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This version of Santa Claus is Felippe Luna, 39, a senior animal handler at AquaRio. What began as a joke among staff has become an annual tradition.
Dressed as Santa, Luna dives into the aquarium’s 924,602-gallon tank to feed marine animals, including sharks. “For the kids, seeing Santa Claus under water is already incredible. And Santa feeding a shark by hand? That’s unforgettable,” Luna said.
The Santa Claus dive runs daily at AquaRio through Dec. 25.
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