Search

Meet the rocksucker, and its extended family - the clingfishes! Clingfishes are a family of small fish found around the world in tropical and temperate seas, from shores to the deep ocean, and even in some rivers! What makes them unique is a special structure on their chest called a "sucking disc", that they can use to cling onto rocks, seaweeds and other objects to easily endure strong currents, and even being battered by waves.

The Two Oceans Aquarium is excited to announce that it has become the second African institution to join the Global Coalition #UnitedforBiodiversity. As the first South African representatives of this Coalition, we are proud to join the growing list of international organisations standing together to support the protection of global biodiversity!

On Thursday, the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation and the NSRI released some of their shelly friends back into the ocean so that they can begin their journey home in warmer waters.

Animals have been part of the human culture since the beginning of time. Fairy tales, myths, legends and beliefs, all bring animals into the human narrative that is passed from generation to generation. And today, this is no different. We may have “modernised” and we may have become more aware and reliant on electronics, but even now, we tend to bring the natural world into our cultural and electronic development. Let’s have a look at some of the mentions of marine animals in pop culture:

We usually don't think of fish as noisy animals - in fact, most people have no idea that fish make sounds at all. Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation teacher Kirshia recorded a very vocal display from the Aquarium's giant kob at night in the Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Exhibit:

We're grateful that we've been able to bring in the new year on a positive note, with families, couples, youngsters and all-round ocean enthusiasts being able to enjoy the Two Oceans Aquarium during the holidays. Thanks for making us a part of your memories, and sharing your favourite moments with us!

Shortly after Agape’s seventh birthday a few months ago, his keepers noticed that he was losing weight and refusing to eat. The decision was made to take Agape to SANCCOB where he could receive full-time monitoring by their excellent veterinary team, and when it became clear that his condition was not improving quickly, his mate Nia was also taken to SANCCOB so that the birds could remain in each other’s company. The cause of Agape’s distress was found to be cancer affecting his beak, mouth and throat.

There's no denying that 2020 has been a difficult year for many South Africans, but even during this tumultuous time, we've been able to find positive moments and experiences worthy of celebration. Here are a few of the Two Oceans Aquarium's highlights of 2020.

To a non-scuba diver, all that equipment could look a bit confusing. The cylinder of air and the mouthpiece make sense - obviously, a diver needs to breathe. The wetsuit makes sense - obviously, a diver might get cold. The fins make sense - obviously divers need to swim around.But why do divers need weights? And why do they wear that bulky jacket thing? Well, here a less-obvious part of scuba diving comes in - buoyancy control!

As part of our mission, we support the conservation work of the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation, which includes an extensive rehabilitation programme for stranded and injured sea turtles that become distressed on our coast. This work is carried out by a passionate team, under the leadership of Conservation Coordinator (a.k.a. "Turtle Mama") Talitha Noble.2020 has been a very different year for turtle rehab. Due to the restrictions we all faced earlier in the year, we saw fewer stranded hatchlings being rescued and it's therefore been a quieter season than usual. But, the babies that were rescued have huge personalities and have given us so much joy!The unusual year continued into October, when we received six subadult green turtles over a few short weeks - we have never had this many green turtles at the same time!

Late on 7 December, the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation was alerted to the fact that approximately 20 seals were trapped in the dry dock across from the Aquarium. The dry dock had been open and filled with water for quite some time and in the last week or so large numbers of fish were aggregating in the harbour. The seals had been feasting on the fish in the dry dock, when it was closed and the water drained. Having seals trapped in these dry docks, as the water is pumped out, is not something new, and the Aquarium has assisted and rescued quite a few of these animals over the years. But having 20 or so in there, at the same time, was new for everyone involved.