HANDS-ON SHARKS AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC AIMS TO CHANGE THE WAY WE LOOK AT THESE CREATURES.

Byline: Theo Douglas Staff Writer

WHAT MOST PEOPLE know about sharks was summed up in a little 1977 popcorn movie called ``Jaws.'' It crystalized decades of missed connections between man and fish into a two-hour scary story of a killer Great White Shark prowling the waters off a beach town.

Sharks get around, and bad news always travels fast, so it's hardly surprising that the succeeding 25 years have seen the ocean predator man loves to hate become increasingly feared and misunderstood by landlubbers.

It will take time, but Shark Lagoon, a massive new exhibit at Long Beach's Aquarium of the Pacific, is aiming to take a bite out of those spooky, spurious shark legends.

It features more than 150 examples of shark species - mostly smaller specimens in scaled-down open tanks, so visitors can actually pet the fish with a two-fingered stroke. This pet-a-shark concept is believed to be a first in the nation, Aquarium officials say.

``By presenting them in a different light, we hope to instill a sense of wonder and respect for these misunderstood creatures,'' says Sandy Trautwein, the aquarium's curator of fish and invertebrates. ``We hope this will be a place where people can learn about sharks in a fun, educational way.''

Tropical treat

Situated just beyond the Lorikeet Forest, where small tropical parrots shriek their delight, the Shark Lagoon tries to be more than just another place to look at fish. Like the Lorikeet exhibit, it focuses on wildlife - sharks, of course - from the tropical waters of the Pacific Ocean.

One tank holds the larger shark species safely out of reach. But the sand tiger shark (endangered in Australia), the zebra, nurse and whitetip reef sharks are still so close that they glide by, underwater, just inches from your nose.

How did they get these whimsical names? From their colors and shapes. The hues, usually mere gradations of tone, clearly show that the zebra shark does have stripes. Consult your Shark Finder booklet - available at the aquarium's front desk - and you'll also realize that the bamboo shark has patterns that mimic bamboo. Most obvious in this vein is the sawfish, whose proboscis looks nearly identical to a two-sided handsaw blade.

Watch these lithe, alert creatures power by with such purposeful efficiency, and you may be inspired to get even closer. Which is fine. There are two tanks where kids - and adults - can ``pet'' the smaller, harmless sharks.

Using just two fingers, you're supposed to gently pet the backs of the smaller bamboo, nurse, epaulette and zebra sharks in the open tanks - most of whom slump to the sandy bottom when they're not being fed. Their mouths are small, and situated on the bottoms of their bodies, so as long as you don't poke, prod or probe the sharks, your chances of getting nipped are very slim.

Facts about sharks surround the exhibit, but on its opening weekend, the exhibit was virtually overrun by toddlers and preteens. Why is no mystery: Kids love to get wet - and they will here - and they love things they can touch. Shark Lagoon has all that.

``The education takes care of that apprehension. It's great, especially for young kids,'' says Katherine Sanders of Castaic, who drove down with her two elementary school-age daughters and friends visiting from Georgia.

Leaning out over the water, she helps Arriel, 7, pet a shark. This isn't as easy as it sounds for Arriel, whose blond pigtails drag in the water. But she can't get enough of this cool treat on a warm day, soaking her arms clear up past the elbow for a chance to massage a nurse shark.

``They feel hard and soft. I love it,'' exclaims Arriel.

Part buried in sand, tails idly flipping, these young sharks and stingrays seem oblivious to the stir they're causing. They apparently like the attention - the rays in particular will swim close to the surface, flipping their ``wings'' out of the water when they want to be noticed - but right now they're getting all the petting they need.

Getting a bad rap

Despite the ample evidence of fish-human bonding taking place here, more than 20 million sharks around the world are being killed each year - many by humans, aquarium officials say.

``If there's one species in our ocean that deserves some positive (public relations) it's sharks,'' says Amy Coppenger, the aquarium's education director. ``Without sharks, our oceans would undergo dramatic changes that would affect all life on earth.''

One of sharks' chief functions is weeding out sick, aged or dying sea creatures, and thus providing a natural thinning of ocean populations. Unlike the Great White in ``Jaws,'' sharks' shopping lists don't normally include humans, says senior aquarist Steve Blair. He notes that when a shark bites a person, it's usually a horrible mistake on the part of the fish.

``I think it's about time that we dispel the myth that sharks are these big fearsome animals that have this desire to eat people,'' says Blair, who has absolutely no problem giving his shark charges the hands-on treatment should they need it. ``Of the more than 350 species of sharks, you can count the dangerous ones on one or two hands. You've got a very tiny amount of sharks in the world that are big enough to bite a person and feed on things that we look like.''

Larger sharks feed on animals like seals and sea lions, Blair says - animals that, from a distance underwater, might resemble a swimmer or surfer. They aren't eager to eat us, the aquarist notes, and when sharks do attack a human, it's usually ``a case of mistaken identity.''

School is in session

Given sharks' diverse color patterns, it's not always easy for kids to identify the shark they're watching, studying or petting. But getting a feel for their leathery, slightly rough skin and getting wet at the same time is a lure that surpasses the learning curve.

``This is neat. It's something new,'' says Robert Gomez, part of a crush of small boys gazing up into a tank of sharks as they feed. ``I'd be scared if I was in there,'' offers friend Tito Gutierrez, 9. Others, though, are inspired. Six-year-old Lorenzo Avila was put off by these toothy specimens but after watching them swim around, he beams and says, ``I'm going to touch a shark now.''

For kids, Shark Lagoon is as much about fun as it is about facts. Despite being bombarded with eye-catching match-up charts that teach kids to match sharks with their physical characteristics and lifestyle traits, many youngsters will probably opt to check out the adjacent ``squid squirter,'' a giant squid model equipped with its own water spray system that can be activated by pushing a button.

Parents, though, usually see the wisdom coursing below the surface of the lagoon, and pass it on to their progeny.

``Who should be afraid of whom?'' asks Long Beach dad Mike English as he and son Mikal, 6, watch sharks swim. ``This is great; it's educational and it gives you a better sense of what sharks are all about. It kills the stereotypes.''

Which is what the Lagoon is all about.

SHARK LAGOON

Where: Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach.

When: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Tickets: $9.95 to $18.75. Call [phone] or www.aquariumofpacific.org.

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CAPTION(S):

4 photos

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) SHARK encounter

Visitors can see and touch the predators at the Aquarium of the Pacific

(2 -- color) Far left: the big tank in the Shark Lagoon exhibit

(3 -- color) Near left: Stephanie Slahor, left, and Jean Slahor check out the Sharks and Rays in the new Shark Lagoon exhibit.

(4 -- color) Below: Elizabeth Lira of Norwalk tries to get her friend Hailey Kim, 3, of La Palma to touch the sharks in the Shark Lagoon. Here, kids can touch the smaller sharks and stingrays

Leo Hetzel/Staff Photographer