Nani the Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin, delicate Leafy Seadragons, sinister Sand Sharks, and more inhabit the underwater world of the National Aquarium in Baltimore (NAB). Home to more than 11,000 creatures, the NAB is the city's leading tourist attraction, with more than 1.6 million visitors annually. It is also an educational resource and a leading force for environmental conservation along the Eastern Seaboard. The NAB's Marine Animal Rescue Program saves dozens of sea creatures along the East Coast each year. Opened in 1981, the aquarium operates as a not-for-profit organization and does not receive federal funding. The NAB underwent a major capital expansion in 2005.