Daniel is the curator of the Malta National Aquarium. As a child, he was intrigued by the natural world and later went to study in Florida, majoring in zoology. In his spare time, he worked on a voluntary basis at aquariums and at age eighteen, he began diving, qualifying as a diving instructor in 1999 at the age of twenty-three. During this period he was working for the International Shark Attack File with Dr George Burgess, researching shark attacks on divers and their possible causes, and doing a study on the relation of shark jaw and tooth morphology to diet. After completing his degree in 1999, he went back to Spain and completed three years of vet school. He was then appointed to the curatorial team that was tasked with opening a brand new zoo in Madrid where he stayed for seven and a half years. He is a passionate advocate of aquariums as an educational resource.
“I think aquariums play a very important role. I wouldn’t be a curator myself if this weren’t the case. Public aquariums are vital for conservation because we tackle conservation through education. We need to enlighten the younger generation and raise awareness about the different problems facing our local wildlife so they can continue to address them in the future. We have to shout about these problems and raise awareness through fun tools for kids. Education is a part of any project I take very seriously.” Daniel De Castro (Aquarium Curator, Malta National Aquarium)