Animal enrichment: Keeping the fish busy Two Oceans Aquarium 2026-09-21 | Animal enrichment: Keeping the fish busy
Two Oceans Aquarium Two Oceans Aquarium 2023-11-29 | An overview of the sights at Two Oceans Aquarium, Cape Town, South Africa.
Penguin TV – Season 1 Episode 1 (Pilot) Two Oceans Aquarium 2023-11-29 | A new documentary about the lives of the African penguins at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town has certainly ruffled some feathers.
Penguin TV – Season 1 Episode 2 (Pilot) Two Oceans Aquarium 2023-11-29 | Jealous of the attention the African penguins received in the first episode of Penguin TV, the rockhoppers steal the limelight – but moulting season gets the better of them.
African penguin livecam - Two Oceans Aquarium Two Oceans Aquarium 2023-08-07 | This whole month is March of the Penguin - a month-long celebration of our favourite flippered friends, filled with fun activities at the Two Oceans Aquarium, learning all about the environmental issues affecting African penguins, and just sharing love with our favourite waddlers in general.Ever wish you could spend all day watching the African penguins? Now you can! We've put a temporary webcam in the African penguin exhibit, so you can see what these quirky birds (and their equally quirky carers) get up to at all times of day.Learn more about March of the penguin: https://www.aquarium.co.za/blog/entry/march-of-the-penguin/TOA website: https://www.aquarium.co.za/ TOA Facebook: twitter.com/2OceansAquariumTOA Instagram: instagram.com/2oceansaquariumTOA Twitter: twitter.com/2OceansAquariumDisclaimer: The Two Oceans Aquarium is not liable for any damages caused by being distracted by too-cute penguin shenanigans.
Cape Towns urban otters: What you need to know Two Oceans Aquarium 2023-05-31 | Since 2018, Cape Town's V&A Waterfront has been home to surprising residents - Cape clawless otters that have adapted to live amongst the hustle and bustle of human life. These "urban otters" pose unique challenges, and a look into just how adaptable wild animals can be. Join Brett, Claire and Abu of our Marine Wildlife Management Programme as they follow this thriving otter community to discover the lifestyles, habits and interactions of our local urban otters.Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation's Urban Otter Project here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/foundation/conservation/marine-wildlife-management-programme/urban-ottersSupport our work here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/foundation/support
Bon voyage to Dané the ragged-tooth shark Two Oceans Aquarium 2023-04-05 | On 29 March 2023, the Two Oceans Aquarium successfully released Dané, a female ragged-tooth shark, off Struisbaai Main Beach. She was accompanied at every stage of her journey by six Aquarium curatorial staff members to ensure a calm and safe return to her wild home.Follow the full story here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/news/join-us-in-wishing-dan%C3%A9-a-fin-tastic-farewell
Looking back on One Blue Heart Two Oceans Aquarium 2023-03-01 | A few weeks ago, the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation and The Good Machine hosted One Blue Heart, a blue-carpet, one-of-a-kind event to fair funds for the Turtle Conservation Centre. This event was maid possible with the support of Cloudigital Museum and table sponsor FNB.The evening was based entirely around sustainable choices: zero-waste catering, slow fashion, art for a cause, and people united by a desire to have a positive impact. One Blue Heart raised funds and awareness for the Turtle Conservation Centre, which aims to expand into a standalone, state-of-the-art centre for rehabilitating marine animals. It was a night full of hope for a brighter future for turtles. Learn more here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/news/reflecting-on-one-blue-heart
Seabird colonies in an urban environment Two Oceans Aquarium 2023-02-24 | The Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation and V&A Waterfront's Marine Wildlife Management Programme was recently featured on 50|50 for the work with local urban wildlife, particularly colonial coastal birds. Cape Town Harbour is one of the biggest ports in Africa on one of the world’s busiest trade routes. It is also home to many different species of marine wildlife such as the increasingly famous Cape fur seal. However, while the harbour’s marine mammals often hog the limelight, the area is also home to countless seabirds, which present unique challenges in an urban environment.Swift terms and Cape cormorants who call the Waterfront home, are facing environmental issues that has been cause for concern. However, Marine Wildlife Specialists, along with the V&A Waterfront have joined together to ensure that these animals have the best chance of peaceful and successful stay in this urban environment. In addition - we all have a huge role to play as well, and it's important that we become aware of this! Read more here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/news/seabirds-in-an-urban-environment
Bob goes home: Releasing Bob, the iconic green turtle of the Two Oceans Aquarium Two Oceans Aquarium 2023-01-31 | On 27 January 2023, Bob the green turtle took his first plunge back into the Indian Ocean, off the Kwa-Zulu Natal coast, after eight years of rehabilitation at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town. The Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Turtle Conservation Centre team, with the help of SAAMBR, transported Bob from uShaka Marine World about one hour up KZN’s North Coast for a beach release.“Bob's release experience was tremendously special. Everyone there had a deep and real respect for Bob, and he was ushered home with the most spectacular love” said TOAF Conservation Manager Talitha Noble.As Bob dipped into the deep, the team let out a cheer and comforted each other with words of hope for our turtle ambassador. Bon voyage, Bob! We'll do our best to keep your ocean home safe.-----------Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation's Turtle Conservation Centre: https://www.aquarium.co.za/foundation/conservation/turtle-conservation-centreSupport our work: https://www.aquarium.co.za/foundation/support
A special Two Oceans Aquarium birthday Trash Bash! Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-11-15 | On Saturday - 12 November 2022, the Two Oceans Aquarium team along with members of the public took to Muizenberg beach to enjoy some fun in the sun, and more importantly, rid the beach of as much plastic pollution and dirt as possible. This was part of the Aquarium's regular Trash Bash beach cleanups, with this one being a special Aquarium birthday celebration as well!With Muizenberg beach being one of the busiest in Cape Town and the sun shining down beautifully, the turnout for Trash Bash was outstanding. Families came out in numbers, organisations showed support, and individuals young and old joined us in our attempt to tidy up the beach. Trash Bash was not only loads of fun, but it was also a huge success. The morning culminated in an amazing 128.42kg of trash being collected and removed from the beach. It became quickly apparent among those collecting that a huge portion of the trash collected was microplastics, which often end up being swallowed by animals when they enter the oceans. Members of the public also reported that there were lots of broken drinking glasses and glass drinking bottles found.
Ragged-tooth sharks: Ambassadors of their species - Call to Earth Day Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-11-02 | To celebrate Call to Earth Day, along with CNN Africa , we caught up with Two Oceans Aquarium aquarist, Leigh de Necker to chat about the ragged-tooth sharks housed at the Aquarium, and how they act as ambassadors for shark species across the world! Leigh believes that it's important to educate and inform as many people as possible of the importance of the conservation of these animals, and rightly so!
The endangered African penguins - Call to Earth Day Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-11-02 | In keeping with the Call to Earth celebrations, we chatted Two Oceans Aquarium animal keeper, Shanet Rutgers. Shanet, who works mostly with penguins housed at the Aquarium, believes that the correct way forward is to educate individuals about the effects that our actions have on our marine life, specifically our African penguins, who are endangered.
Turtle rehabilitation - Call to Earth Day Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-11-02 | In celebration of Call to Earth Day, Claudine Van Zyl, a member of the Turtle Conservation Centre team, describes her work with turtles and their rehabilitation, and how this contributes to conservation.
Kijani explores temporary new home on her path to rehabilitation success Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-10-27 | Late winter and early spring in South Africa sees what our turtle rehabilitation team refer to as “sub/adult turtle stranding season”, a period of time when our coast experiences more strandings of adult and subadult green sea turtles. 2022 has been no exception, with our first large sub-adult green turtle (Chelonia mydas) rescued for the season, on 30 July at Trekoskraal near Paternoster on the West Coast.Named “Kijani” by the rehab team (meaning “green” in Swahili), this turtle was discovered by Spilltech, one of our Turtle Rescue Network partners, high up on the sandy beach, in very poor body condition, very thin, and with over 50% algal coverage. These factors suggest Kijani had been struggling for a long time. Kijani was safely moved off the beach and transported to the turtle hospital at the Two Oceans Aquarium.John Dory's Zero Waste Initiative is sponsoring the rehabilitation of Kijani, and with wider support we are able to return 75% of all rescued turtles brought to the Aquarium, back to the ocean. Without help, their chance of survival would be 0%. It's up to us to work together to save turtles - say no to unnecessary plastic, join coastal clean-ups, support local conservation organisations, and spread the love of our ocean with others - it's what Kijani would want!Learn more: https://www.aquarium.co.za/blog/entry/kijani-green-turtle-story-john-dorys/
Entangled Cape fur seal darted and rescued by Marine Wildlife team Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-10-25 | Many of the seals in the Cape Town harbour become ensnared in nooses of discarded fishing lines, raffia cord, bait box bands, and other plastic pollution. If no action is taken, these nooses cut into the seals' flesh, causing wounds that lead to the death of the animal.This particular Cape fur seal had been severely entangled in two nooses, which had caused serious injury. For this reason, the seal was not very active when it was spotted by the Marine Wildlife Specialists at the Two Oceans Aquarium. This provided the perfect opportunity to dart the seal so that we could safely approach it to relieve its pain by disentangling it. The darting procedure is done in order to sedate the seal before any work can be done by the team. Once the anaesthesia kicked in, the team was then able to sever the nooses around the neck of the seal. Once the disentanglement is complete, the seal is tagged so that the Marine Wildlife Specialist team is able to monitor the seal in future. The seal is then given a reversal injection that causes the anaesthesia to wear off and the seal to wake up.
Teaming up for ocean education with The Little Optimist Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-09-20 | The Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation has a long history of working the great local organisations to further our mission of ocean literacy - and joining forces with The Little Optimist Sailing Academy for an exciting lesson and canal cleanup was no exception!This group of enthusiastic youngsters are part of The Little Optimist Sailing Academy's "sailing therapy" a programme with gives children from difficult backgrounds an outlet for their energy, while teaching them a relaxing and rewarding skill. The kids met with Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation teachers Kirshia and Chanel, where they got to learn about the diverse life on South Africa's rocky coastline in our living classroom environments. Following the lessons, the children got to enjoy a tour of the Aquarium, coming face to face with many of the ocean animals that they had just learned about!Then, it was off to the V&A Waterfront's canals, where The Little Optimist met up with Two Oceans Aquarium staff to join the kids for an exciting water-based canal clean-up!Thanks for the collaboration, The Little Optimist! We look forward to plenty more ocean education fun and learning in the future!-----------Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation: https://aquariumfoundation.org.za/Learn more about The Little Optimist Trust: thelittleoptimisttrust.org-----------
Severely entangled Cape fur seal finally caught and rescued Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-08-21 | For many months, the seal welfare and monitor team of our Marine Wildlife Management Programme in the V&A Waterfront have been trying to rescue a particularly elusive Cape fur seal, which had become entangled with multiple nooses of improperly discarded fishing line and other litter items. This little seal happened to be particularly stubborn, refusing to rest on the platforms and isolated areas preferred by other seals (and where our team is usually able to reach them), and instead preferring to sleep on top of the bulbous boughs of ships docked in the Port of Cape Town. After months of failed rescue attempts, Marine Wildlife Specialist Claire Taylor and her patrol team decided to take direct action and grab the sleeping seal directly!Grabbing seals out of the water is not our team's usual method - but this situation was quite unique! But, as time goes on, nooses of plastic and fishing lines tend to become tighter as they slide lower on the seal's neck, and the risk of death becomes greater due to infection or snagging on a submerged object. For the good of the animal, the team needed to act. As is quite clear in the video below, these entanglements had already cut very deeply into the seal's flesh, and although these resilient animals are able to heal from these wounds surprisingly quickly, the healing process cannot start until the entanglement has been removed.Read more here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/blog/entry/elusive-seal-finally-rescued-after-months-of-perseverance
Aquarist Ayrton feeds an argonaut Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-07-15 | Argonauts, or paper nautiluses, are a group of pelagic octopuses that live in the open ocean. Females of this species produce a large egg-case which, in addition to protecting their eggs, acts as a ballast which helps them float near the surface.Paper nautiluses are rarely seen alive, so when this one was found stranded on a beach near Cape Town, it provided a unique opportunity to learn about a poorly-understood animal while it's in our case.Aquarist Ayrton King, a member of the Two Oceans Aquarium team caring for this argonaut said: "It’s has been an incredible experience getting to learn from and work with this fascinating little ocean critter. She’s extremely inquisitive and playful and it took lots of trust-building to get her to take food for the first time.Argonauts mostly feed during the day and use their tentacles to grab and pull food into their mouth, where they inject venom into their prey with the use of their salivary gland.Argonauts feed on crustaceans, molluscs, jellies, fish and salps."Thanks Ayrton for supplying this video clip!
Meet turbo the green turtle Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-07-05 | Turbo is a green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) that was rescued in September 2021 at De Hoop. Upon arrival Turbo weighed 11.8kg, was very weak and had several wounds. Turbo had also eaten plastic pollution, and pooped out pieces of plastic a few days after arriving at our Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation's Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. In November the team noticed that Turbo had developed a small lump above their neck, which grew slowly over time, and the veterinary team operated to remove it.Currently, Turbo weighs 14.3kg and keeps growing every week! Turbo was moved to the I&J Ocean Exhibit as part of the next stage of their rehabilitation, to promote exercise and healing. This larger area also means that Turbo can receive some fun enrichment before being released into their natural habitat (and spend time with fellow green turtle Bob)!••••••••••🎵: Make A Wish by Scott Holmes Music [CC BY-NC 4.0]‣ Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation here: https://aquariumfoundation.org.za/‣ Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/‣ Support our conservation work: https://aquariumfoundation.org.za/support-our-causes/
Sea Jellies - Ulwandle Stories Episode 5 Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-07-04 | Jellyfish, now also more commonly called sea jellies, since they are not fish at all, are amazing creatures. They are much more complicated than we give them credit for, and live in the ocean and in freshwater habitats, with great species diversity. Meet the sea jellies at the Two Oceans Aquarium, and our very own jelly whisperer, Krish, who not only studies these animals, but cultivates them too.••••••••••Ulwandle Stories is the in-house production of the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation, a Cape Town-based organisation connecting people to the ocean through inspiring conservation, education and research work. Ulwandle Stories explores this fascinating effort, goes behind the scenes of the Two Oceans Aquarium, and follows the animal rescues of the Marine Wildlife Management Programme in the V&A Waterfront.••••••••••‣ Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation here: https://aquariumfoundation.org.za/‣ Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/‣ Support our conservation work: https://aquariumfoundation.org.za/support-our-causes/
Shark Release - Ulwandle Stories Episode 4 Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-06-27 | Watch the release of Lilly-May, an ambassador shark that lived at the Two Oceans Aquarium, before being tagged and released back into the ocean. The team at the Two Oceans Aquarium worked hard to make the release a success so that Lilly-May can continue to provide valuable data about the migration patterns of ragged-tooth sharks.••••••••••Ulwandle Stories is the in-house production of the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation, a Cape Town-based organisation connecting people to the ocean through inspiring conservation, education and research work. Ulwandle Stories explores this fascinating effort, goes behind the scenes of the Two Oceans Aquarium, and follows the animal rescues of the Marine Wildlife Management Programme in the V&A Waterfront.••••••••••‣ Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation here: https://aquariumfoundation.org.za/‣ Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/‣ Support our conservation work: https://aquariumfoundation.org.za/support-our-causes/
Saving Seals - Ulwandle Stories Episode 3 Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-06-20 | We get to know the furry residents of the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa. Cape fur seals use the harbour precinct for shelter and rest. Unfortunately, many of them fall victim to plastic pollution in the ocean. Meet the team that works hard to help these charismatic animals.••••••••••Ulwandle Stories is the in-house production of the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation, a Cape Town-based organisation connecting people to the ocean through inspiring conservation, education and research work. Ulwandle Stories explores this fascinating effort, goes behind the scenes of the Two Oceans Aquarium, and follows the animal rescues of the Marine Wildlife Management Programme in the V&A Waterfront.••••••••••‣ Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation here: https://aquariumfoundation.org.za/‣ Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/‣ Support our conservation work: https://aquariumfoundation.org.za/support-our-causes/
Turtle Release - Ulwandle Stories Episode 2 Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-06-13 | The Ulwandle Stories team takes a look at the preparations and efforts needed to get rehabilitated sea turtles release-ready. 14 January 2021, we released 23 sea turtles back into the ocean. ••••••••••Ulwandle Stories is the in-house production of the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation, a Cape Town-based organisation connecting people to the ocean through inspiring conservation, education and research work. Ulwandle Stories explores this fascinating effort, goes behind the scenes of the Two Oceans Aquarium, and follows the animal rescues of the Marine Wildlife Management Programme in the V&A Waterfront.••••••••••‣ Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation here: https://aquariumfoundation.org.za/‣ Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/‣ Support our conservation work: https://aquariumfoundation.org.za/support-our-causes/
Choose the SASSI Green List Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-06-08 | Head Chef Lucio knows how to cook up a feast, but whether he's cooking for his family at home or for guests hiring out one of the Aquarium's venues, he knows the importance of making sustainable food choices.When choosing seafood, Chef Lucio refers to the @wwfsassi4818 Green List - a catalogue of South African seafood options that are deemed to be sustainable, meaning that the species itself is not at risk and that the methods used to catch it are not detrimental to the local biosphere. By looking at the entire supply chain, SASSI enables chefs and home cooks to use the ocean's resources in a sustainable manner, ensuring that they are preserved for future generations too.So, next time you're considering seafood, check the SASSI List first - an easy #WorldOceanDay action to add to your life!••••••••••‣ Find the WWF SASSI list here: https://wwfsassi.co.za/sassi-list/‣ Learn more about World Ocean Day here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/blog/entry/the-two-oceans-aquarium-is-celebrating-world-oceans-day‣ Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/
Leave the balloons out of your next party Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-06-08 | What goes up, must come down, and Teacher Kirshia Govender sees this first-hand when finding the remains of party balloons and ribbons littering the ocean - items that can easily kill marine life.A simple action you can incorporate into your life for World Ocean Day is simply to stop using balloons. Dozens of equally festive options, from colourful paper lanterns and chains to celebratory tree planting, exist as alternatives to harmful balloons and plastic ribbons!••••••••••‣ Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation here: https://aquariumfoundation.org.za/‣ Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/‣ Support our conservation work: https://aquariumfoundation.org.za/support-our-causes/
Teaching kids to respect and love the ocean Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-06-08 | 🏖️ When he's not handling Aquarium operations and the care of our animals, Paul van Nimwegen is taking care of his family. As a father, Paul feels that simply spending time at the beach with his kids, teaching them about the fascinating things they see, and encouraging them to clean up and protect it are great ways to instil a sense of responsibility.Everyone is able to take small actions for the good of the ocean in their own way for World Ocean Day - thanks for sharing Paul.••••••••••‣ Learn more about World Ocean Day here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/blog/entry/the-two-oceans-aquarium-is-celebrating-world-oceans-day‣ Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/
Cut a loop, save a life! Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-06-08 | Loops of plastic packaging, box bands, cords, fishing line... each of these items of discarded waste can easily kill marine animals, like Cape Fur Seals, that become entangled in them. But, there's an easy fix! 🌊You might recognise Clive from the Two Oceans Aquarium's front desk, but at home, he's also doing his best to make decisions that will help the ocean. A simple action Clive takes is to simply cut up any plastic loops before discarding them (even if you think you've properly disposed of something, it can still blow out of the bin!)Simple actions like this are easy ways that we can each help live a more ocean-minded lifestyle, without a lot of effort required! #WorldOceanDay••••••••••‣ Learn more about World Ocean Day here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/blog/entry/the-two-oceans-aquarium-is-celebrating-world-oceans-day‣ Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/
I dont need a straw Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-06-08 | "It's easy, I have lips." Most people do not need a drinking straw, and giving them up is a trivially easy action that many of us could do to help remove a persistent hazard to marine life from the oceans! Visitor Services Assistant Phelo shared this small action for World Ocean Day as an example of something small that has a positive impact on the environment. Together, these small actions add up to a big difference!••••••••••‣ Learn more about World Ocean Day here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/blog/entry/the-two-oceans-aquarium-is-celebrating-world-oceans-day‣ Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/
By using secondhand goods, Im saving the ocean Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-06-08 | Senior aquarist Deen Hill spends a lot of time in the ocean for work, but when he's at home, Deen knows his decisions also have an impact on the ocean.One way that Deen helps the ocean is by choosing to buy secondhand items rather than new ones when possible - a small way to reduce the environmental impact of his daily life, and a great #WorldOceanDay lesson!••••••••••‣ Learn more about World Ocean Day here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/blog/entry/the-two-oceans-aquarium-is-celebrating-world-oceans-day‣ Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/
Rethink your disposable shopping bag! Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-06-08 | The easiest way to keep plastic pollution out of the ocean is by not creating that waste in the first place. Marketing Coordinator Phumza Jongihlathi sticks to reusable shopping bags - which saves money and the ocean! 🛍️This World Ocean Day, we're asking our staff what small, daily actions they do that help protect South Africa's marine biodiversity - and their suggestions are remarkably easy!••••••••••‣ Learn more about World Ocean Day here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/blog/entry/the-two-oceans-aquarium-is-celebrating-world-oceans-day‣ Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/
By reducing single-use plastics, I help save sea turtles Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-06-08 | Today is World Ocean Day - a chance for each of us to take action for the good of our ocean! Sea turtle rehabilitation intern Connor Jacobs of the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation sees the devastating impact that tiny bits of plastic have on endangered animals firsthand and knows that a small change he can make at home can be the difference between life and death for a tiny turtle.••••••••••‣ Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation here: https://aquariumfoundation.org.za/‣ Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/‣ Support our conservation work: https://aquariumfoundation.org.za/support-our-causes/
Turtle Rehabilitation - Ulwandle Stories Episode 1 Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-06-06 | Go behind the scenes into our turtle rehabilitation centre at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town, and the daily work it takes to look after our little, and not so little, turtle patients.••••••••••Ulwandle Stories is the in-house production of the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation, a Cape Town-based organisation connecting people to the ocean through inspiring conservation, education and research work. Ulwandle Stories explores this fascinating effort, goes behind the scenes of the Two Oceans Aquarium, and follows the animal rescues of the Marine Wildlife Management Programme in the V&A Waterfront.••••••••••‣ Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation here: https://aquariumfoundation.org.za/‣ Learn more about the Two Oceans Aquarium here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/‣ Support our conservation work: https://aquariumfoundation.org.za/support-our-causes/
Claire disentangles another seal - and gets a surprising gift from a seal! Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-04-27 | When our Marine Wildlife Management Programme uses stealth to sneak up on entangled seals, so that we can cut off loops of fishing line and other plastic while they sleep, we rarely encounter awake seals! This time, Two Oceans Aquarium Marine Wildlife Specialist Claire Taylor got a face to face greeting from a seal....and an onion...(wait, what!?)
A lesson in patience and persistance Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-04-18 | Last week, the team was contacted by a member of the public who spotted a heavily entangled Cape fur seal sleeping on the bulbous bow of a ship in the Port of Cape Town. Brett Glasby of our Marine Wildlife Management Programme in the V&A Waterfront, and Claire Taylor of the Two Oceans Aquarium hopped into Aquarium 2 and headed out to try to remove the cords and debris it was tangled in.Despite their efforts, this attempt wasn't successful. But it highlights an important part of the job when assisting wild animals - having patience and creating other opportunities to assist the animal.In the V&A Waterfront, we have dedicated resting stations where seals routinely sleep, and thanks to regular water patrols we also know the favourite sleeping spots of the more elusive seals like this one. This means we can revisit them with different strategies - something that is often difficult to predict ahead of time!With consistent monitoring, persistence, and vigilant members of the public, we're able to help most of the entangled seals we encounter - despite the occasional frustration!💙
Meet Pan! The littlest turtle with the biggest survival story Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-03-24 | Meet Pan, the newest member of our I&J Ocean Exhibit community of sea turtle rehabilitation patients. Pan is a loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), and despite his diminutive size, Pan can potentially grow to over 450kg - and with proper care at the hands of the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation team, Pan will get the opportunity to reach that size in the wild!Pan was rescued by members of the public at Struisbaai on 29 April 2019, weighing only 49.5g! Like many of the stranded loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings that wash up on our coastline, Pan was affected by the cold waters around the Western Cape after being ejected from the warm Agulhas Current - resulting in the turtle becoming "cold-stunned", which in turn can lead to a host of other problems, particularly dehydration, immunocompromise, and metabolic difficulties.With proper care, most sea turtle hatchlings are able to make a full recovery and be released in the summer of the year that they were rescued. Unfortunately, Pan developed a recurring ear and bone infection that did not clear easily, despite multiple courses of antibiotics and surgeries to clear infected tissue, so he missed the usual hatchling release season in 2019... and in 2020... and in 2021...Now, Pan has grown to almost 185x the size he was when originally rescued (although at about 9kg, he's no Yoshi!) and is finally on the path to recovery. During his third ear surgery, abscesses were removed from his skull, and antibiotic implants were inserted - this treatment seems to have finally done the trick, and the Foundation team report that Pan is healing well, with no signs of returning infection! We'd like to thank the incredible team at the Cape Exotic Animal Hospital, who were able to use CT scans to guide their surgery, and finally relieve Pan of this stubborn infection.Pan has been given a clean bill of health and is undergoing some final monitoring before being considered "release ready". As has become a bit of a tradition here at the Two Oceans Aquarium, turtles that have spent a long time in the rehabilitation facility get to make use of the large space in our I&J Ocean Exhibit for exercise while awaiting the optimal season for release. Little Pan has joined Nobomvu, a larger sub-adult loggerhead turtle, and Bob, a large sub-adult green turtle, in this exhibit - be sure to stop by and learn about these incredible survivors this school holiday!Swim well little Pan, we look forward to being able to bid you farewell in the not too distant future when you return to the ocean!------------------------------🎵: How it Began by Silent Partner [CC BY-SA 3.0]Visit the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town, South Africa: https://www.aquarium.co.za/Learn about our sea turtle rehabilitation programme here: https://aquariumfoundation.org.za/sea-turtle-rescue-rehabilitation-and-release/
Disentangling Cape fur seals - from a boat! Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-03-14 | Part of our team's daily routine is patrolling the V&A Waterfront to monitor the local marine wildlife and assist animals in need. Sometimes, this means hopping into a boat and following seals around the local harbour to disentangle those with loops of plastic pollution ensnaring them!With the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation, we work with the Waterfront on an integrated Marine Wildlife Management Programme, which has the goal of creating a space where humans and wildlife can coexist safely and harmoniously. Definitely one of the most fulfilling parts of our day!If you'd like to learn more about the quirky, charismatic Cape fur seals that call the Waterfront home, pay them a visit on the Seal Platforms behind the Aquarium the next time you stop by.
Ragged-tooth have teeth that are perfectly evolved to grip fish Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-03-10 | Critically endangered ragged-tooth sharks are "piscivores" or fish-eaters. During feeding time at the Two Oceans Aquarium, aquarist Leigh de Necker was able to get close enough to show us some of these amazing sharks' special fish-eating adaptations!🦈Ragged-tooth sharks have pointy, needle-like teeth. These are good for gripping onto slippery fish, but are not very good at biting off pieces of food - that's why we see the sharks shaking their heads to try to reposition their food to be swallowed whole, or to break off smaller pieces.These sharks are also nocturnal hunters that rely on stealth, so they rely on other senses like electroreception to identify prey. You'll notice that the sharks in this video touch their food with their snouts before eating - that's because their vision alone isn't enough for them to confirm that it is food, so they use the chemical and electrical receptors in their snouts to confirm that it is indeed something edible!These beautiful animals really are an incredible example of nature's efficiency. Be sure to visit these sharks at our Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Exhibit to learn more!------------------------------Visit the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town, South Africa: https://www.aquarium.co.za/
Helping a young sunfish find its way back to the sea Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-02-10 | Mola mola needed some help! 🐡A few days ago, our team spotted a small Mola mola, or ocean sunfish, in the waters of the Cape Town harbour. It's not uncommon for these unusual-looking fish to accidentally enter shallow waters, but we know from experience that they can sometimes injure themselves in human-made environments - so we decided to check it out!The sunfish seemed healthy and uninjured, so we initially let it be. As part of the V&A Waterfront and Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation's Marine Wildlife Management Programme, we perform regular patrols to check up on animals that could potentially face danger. After a few days of monitoring, it became clear that this little sunfish simply wasn't able to find its way back out to the ocean. A bit of human assistance was needed.Although sunfish do sometimes use shallow waters for shelter from storms and predators, they rely on deep waters for survival - this is where their unique shape helps them dive deep to prey of jellies, salps, fish and squid. The Aquarium team were quick to swim out and collect the sunfish, bring it on board our small harbour patrol boat, and take it out beyond the harbour mouth - where it immediately swam off into the depths (in admittedly awkward style)!Sunfish are the largest bony fish in the world - growing to over 2 tons! They are also the most fecund vertebrates on Earth, able to lay over 300 million eggs at a time, and are believed to be one of the world's fastest growing animals around too! These extremes, together with their unusual appearance, are clear indicators of the unique lifestyles of these fish - and one that this little mola was able to help us better understand (thanks to DNA samples that it has now contributed to a growing international collaboration!)Swim well Mola mola!
Eagle ray gives birth! Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-01-28 | Did you know that stingrays give birth to live young and not eggs?🌊Stingrays, like our eagle ray below, are "ovoviviparous" - this means that the mother keeps the eggs inside her body after they hatch, feeding the pups fluids and egg yolks to help them grow.Because of the lifestyle these rays live, pups need to be competent swimmers almost immediately when they are born - there is no time for a baby to learn or grow before needing to survive in the wild. So, after a few short minutes of disorientation, while they figure out which way is up, and how their muscles work, the baby rays can swim, move and survive just like their adult mother!This mother eagle ray gave birth to four little pups - you can visit them in the ray pool in the Diversity Gallery at the Two Oceans Aquarium!Thank you to our Curator of Animal Health Nicholas Nicolle for this clip!
Releasing 44 rescued and rehabilitated sea turtles Two Oceans Aquarium 2022-01-19 | This week we got to released 44 sea turtles back into the wild - big green turtles, little loggerhead hatchlings, and even a rare hawksbill turtle. Whatever their species, all these turtles have a common story - they were rescued on the Western Cape coast by everyday members of the public like you, and after a period of help and care with the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation, they've gotten a second chance back in the wild!With the support of Hooked on Africa Fishing Charters and Barry Stringer of Reef Wetsuits, two boats carrying this precious payload left Hout Bay early on Monday morning. Approximately 30 nautical miles out to sea, the turtle team reached warmer waters at the point where the icy waters around the Cape meet the warmer Agulhas currents. This is where the turtles were released - ideal conditions to go wherever their instincts take them.We're looking forward to following the journeys of the large turtles that are carrying satellite tags, but the team already has a new challenge on the horizon - March marks the beginning of a period of time when hundreds of loggerhead turtle hatchlings become stranded on the South African coast. In other words - releasing successfully rehabilitated turtles isn't the end of the journey, it's the start of the next one!Thank you to everyone that supports these amazing efforts! If you'd like to be part of helping our team make a difference, you cal find ways to contribute here: https://aquariumfoundation.org.za/support-our-causes/📹: Thanks Danel Wentzel & Martine Viljoen/TOAEF🎵: Just Smile by LiQWYD | Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
