Sharing Shark Week St. Louis Style

Discovery Channel is celebrating its 25th year of Shark Week, one of the most viewed weeks in television that draws millions of viewers. 

But the Discovery Channel isn't the only way Midwesterners can get a close-up look at much-feared shark species.

The St. Louis Zoo is offering free admission to its Caribbean Cove exhibit for humans dressed up as sharks this week. The Cove, the special habitat for stingrays and three species of much kinder (and smaller) sharks than of "Jaws" fame, typically costs $3 for non-members and $1.50 for zoo members. Visitors have the chance to pet, feed and observe the sea creatures up close.

The Zoo also is adding special menu items (a "shark dog") and concluding the week with a concert by Griffin and the Gargoyles in the Schnuck Family Plaza from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday. Zoo-goers can also pick up a commemmorative "I survived Shark Week" T-shirt.

Shark Week at the Zoo began Aug. 11 and runs through Friday.

The Washington Post reports that Discovery Channel also is making its videos about sharks available to school teachers, complete with lesson plans for grades K-5, 6-8 and 9-12. These videos are created in conjunction with scientists around the world. In addition to classroom materials, teachers can secure suggested activities, vocabularies and lists of questions for customizing student conversations.

Discovery Channel's TV special continues through Thursday.

Eureka-Wildwood Patch editor Julie Brown Patton contributed to this article.