[11][12] The idea was first proposed on 3 March 1959 by J. D. Bromhall, chief scientific officer of the Fisheries Research Unit at the University of Hong Kong, who revealed a plan to develop in the city a super aquarium, called an "oceanarium".

Bromhall explained the plan by referencing one of the world's two oceanariums at the time – the Marine Studios in Florida, which he described as a type of aquarium where "the species of fish are not separated" and "the conditions are as near as possible [to] those at the bottom of the sea".

[11] In the Philippines from 1974 to 1975, the team attempted to capture spinners, Fraser's dolphins, and melon-headed whales in Cebu, but were ultimately unsuccessful as these sensitive pelagic species could not adapt to captivity.

[11][13]: 120  According to Yuen Kwok-yung, a microbiologist at the University of Hong Kong, the outbreak may have been intensified by Ocean Park's practice of burying dead dolphins near its coast.

[c][13]: 120–121 A later report, published in 1994 in Asian Marine Biology, admitted that Ocean Park experienced "serious problems [that led to] poor survival" during the first 13–14 years of operations.

However, it suggested that the species' innately poor adaptability to captivity was also involved, reporting that the park's 44 Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) had a much higher annual survival rate of 82.8%, albeit still "below the industry average [of 93%]".

[20] Ocean Park had maintained an income surplus since its opening, until the 1997 Asian financial crisis, which resulted in four consecutive years of deficits totalling HK$204.1 million.

[18]: 209, 211  However, it was soon severely impacted by the 2003 SARS outbreak in Hong Kong, which saw tourism numbers fall and locals stay home, resulting in a roughly 70% decrease in the park's attendance.

[33] Designed by Aedas and PGAV Destinations,[24][33] the aquarium's exterior mimics a sea creature, appearing as an egg-shaped structure with swirling strips of fins.

[24][34] A few months later in June 2011, Ocean Park also opened the 5,500 m2 (59,000 sq ft) Rainforest attraction zone, which featured a 3-minute raft ride, an expedition trail, and a tree house-themed exhibition area.

In July, the final element of the redevelopment, Polar Adventure, opened, featuring animals such as penguins, Pacific walruses, spotted seals, northern sea lions, snowy owls and Arctic foxes, aiming to highlight some of the conservation issues they face.

[citation needed] Along with Adventure Zone, the construction of a pier at Tai Shue Wan was also proposed in the rebirth plan to better connectivity between the Resort and the Southern District.

[52] In January 2017, the Ocean Park saw a 30% surge in visitors, credited to a new rapid transit line, big discounts and an early Lunar New Year holiday,[53] but in 2019, lower numbers of mainland tourist arrivals, due to social unrest and continued competition from Chimelong, sunk attendance to 5.7 million.

[30] Together, the two areas are further subdivided into seven attraction zones, Amazing Asian Animals, Aqua City, Whiskers Harbour, Marine World, Polar Adventure, Thrill Mountain, and the Rainforest.

Ocean Park features a 1.5-kilometre (0.93 mi) long cable car system connecting the Waterfront and the Summit in an eight-minute journey, with the views of the South China Sea.

[76][77] On 1 July 2024, it was announced that the Chinese government would gift a new pair of giant pandas to Ocean Park in the coming few months, to commemorate the 27th anniversary of Hong Kong's handover.

[79] The city's pro-Beijing party DAB had previously suggested naming the potential panda pair "Zhizhi" and "Xingxing", meaning 'stability' and 'prosperity' in Chinese respectively, to "symbolise Hong Kong's advance from stability to prosperity".

[90] At Ocean Park, Hoi Wai was regarded as a star attraction and engaged in shows, where she performed ball-balancing tricks and dramatic leaps and dives.

[citation needed] Hoi Wai died several years later on 21 April 1997, three days after she suddenly began to suffer from diarrhoea and bleeding,[90][16] with later tests revealing it to be due to an infected wound in her intestines.

[13]: 115 [91][16] Ocean Park had initially planned to acquire a beluga whale or another orca as its new star attraction, as it then relied on marine life as its main appeal.

As a result, the death of Hoi Wai also marked a change in the park's business model, as it transitioned to rely more heavily on funfair-style rides as attractions.

[17][94] Experts have debunked this claim, pointing that the skeleton is too long for an orca,[17] and that Ocean Park likely cremated Hoi Wai's carcass in line with their usual procedures.

[16][17] According to Swims, the skeleton in fact belongs to a juvenile male fin whale that was found in April 1955 to be lethargic, slowly starving, and floating in Victoria Harbour.

[98] On 14 July 2008, it was announced that Hong Kong would receive another five sturgeons from the Chinese National Aquatic Wildlife Conservation Association in time for the Olympics opening ceremony on 8 August,[e] to complement the four fish already in site.

The park provides shelter for fish, sea turtles, coral reefs, and other illegally imported or abandoned wild animals that were rescued or confiscated by the AFCD.

[105][106][107] The female crocodile, then measuring 1.9 m (6.2 ft) in length and weighing 35 kg (77 lb),[106] was likely illegally imported and kept as a pet nearby before ultimately escaping or being abandoned.

[105][106] The attraction is located at the park's entrance and does not require an admission ticket to view,[105][107] a decision meant to "highlight the [p]ark's dedication to conservation education".

[86] Ocean Park's success was made possible by new ultrasound scanning techniques, which ensured ideal insemination by allowing real-time monitoring of whether a dolphin was about to ovulate, with close to 100% accuracy.

[86][87] According to Suzanne Gendron, the head of Ocean Park's zoological operations and education department, this breakthrough opened up the opportunity to carry out an in-vitro fertilisation programme on an international scale.

Opponents have highlighted their views on international "Empty the Tanks" day – a non-violent multinational demonstration that aims to end the capture and sale of wild dolphins to marine parks, where the creatures are said to die younger and breed much less.