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Sharks in Italy get into Christmas spirit with creche

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In this photo taken on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017 a sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus) swims past scuba divers installing a majolica Christmas crib in the shark\'s tank at the Cattolica Aquarium, Italy. (Cattolica Aquarium via AP)

ROME – Christmastime Nativity scenes usually feature donkeys, cows and sheep. That could help explain the interest generated when divers mounted a creche in the shark tank of the aquarium in the Italian Adriatic city of Cattolica.

The sharks who call the Cattolica Aquarium home — a 3-meter (10-foot) -long sand tiger shark named Brigitte and her fellow tank-mates, closely inspected the work this week as divers installed the ceramic tiled Nativity scene on an underwater column. At one point Brigitte got too close and was poked to stay away.

With its 3,000 sea creatures representing 400 species, the Cattolica is the largest aquarium on the Adriatic.

Italy is famous for its “presepe,” the hand-crafted Nativity scenes that often take over entire Italian living rooms at Christmastime.

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Abbey Westbury

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