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Blacktails are medium-size, oval, silver fish. Their tails are not black as their name suggests, but they do have a large black spot on each side of their caudal peduncle. As juveniles, they have 8 to 10 pale vertical bars on their sides, but these fade with age.They are omnivores, equipped with both strong molars and sharp incisors to help process a variety of foods including red and green algae, starfish, urchins, snails, bivalves, polychaetes and sea squirts.Blacktails inhabit many shallow environments on the South African and Namibian coasts. They are highly resident, and adults rarely leave their preferred home region.Blacktails are hermaphrodites, and unlike many other hermaphroditic fish species, there is no relation between their age or size and their sex. In fact, many blacktails are able to be both male and female simultaneously.

Bluefin gurnards are a common bottom-dwelling fish throughout the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Their colouring may seem drab and unimpressive, camouflaging them will with the seafloor - until it spreads its brilliant blue pectoral fins, from where it draws its name.Just in front of these fins, you might notice that it appears to have a set of little “legs” that helps it creep along. These are not actually legs, they are modified rays of its fins, which the gurnards use to stir up the sand to find prey – small crustaceans. They are predators that feed on small crabs and shrimp.Gurnard's bodies are long and compact, with armoured, bone-plated heads.

The orbicular batfish is a large, disc-shaped fish with a flattened dusky silver body. Its anal and dorsal fins are symmetrical, giving the adult batfish a spade-like appearance. Its dorsal, anal and tail fins are translucent yellow with black margins, and its pectoral fins are yellow. It has two prominent vertical black bars, a thick one behind the head that crosses the gill cover, and a narrower bar though the eye. Some sub-populations have small black spots on their sides.The adult orbicular batfish very closely resembles the longfinned batfish, and distinguishing between the two is understandably difficult. The longfinned batfish has dark blotches under its pectoral fin and on the bottom edge of its anal fin which are absent on the orbicular batfish.The juvenile orbicular batfish relies on its long fins to mimic a dead leaf by flopping onto its side and allowing the current to take it. It has a great affinity for brackish coastal environments, particularly mangroves and lagoons and can change its colour to a rusty brown to more closely resemble a leaf.As it grows larger, it takes on a silver colouration more closely resembling the longfinned batfish. Gradually its fins become shorter until it takes on the characteristic spade shape of other members of its family.The adult will move out of its sheltered coastal habitat to reefs where it will feed primarily on algae, but will snack on small fish if given the opportunity. Perhaps its strangest dietary quirk, the orbicular batfish will often follow sea turtles around to eat their faeces.It ranges from Knysna in the Western Cape to the Red Sea, Australia, Polynesia, Japan and Alaska. Invasive populations are also present in the Caribbean.

At the Two Oceans Aquarium, we believe that a "close encounter" is when you become so close to an animal, that a connection is formed - one where you can experience a little bit of what it is like to be that animal, live in its alien ocean world and can learn to empathise with it and its fellow sea creatures. Here in Cape Town, we offer you the opportunity to experience close encounters of the animal kind - there is no better way to surround yourself with the wonder and mystery of South Africa's underwater world.

The Marine Science Discoverer course is a free, introduction to marine biology and marine careers. This course is ideally suited for Grade 8 learners who have an interest in marine life and science and who are considering this as a future career path. The course runs over five days, covering various aspects of the oceans, with a few animal examples added to the mix. We ensure that the course is as hands-on as possible, with various activities and outings included.

The Marine Science Explorer course is a content-packed offering of the Two Oceans Aquarium's Marine Science Academy. This course is the ideal opportunity for environmentally-minded Grade 9 learners who love a hands-on lesson to learn about what goes into being a marine biologist, and be introduced to what a career in marine science is all about.

Hagfish are weird. There is no nicer way of saying it; there is no way to sugar-coat it – they are just weird. For the sake of brevity, I will just cover three things that make them weird, and incredibly wonderous, at the same time.

As a species, humans are often considered to be at the top of the evolutionary ladder, said to be the pinnacle of evolution and consciousness. However, even in the 21st Century, humans have still got a lot to learn from nature. The mechanisms nature has developed are so efficient, that they can help humans create new technologies and instigate innovation. "Biomimicry" means exactly this, namely the imitation of the models and elements of nature for the purpose of solving complex human problems.

On Saturday 25 January 2020, Western Cape Morsbags will be handing out gorgeous free reusable shopping bags featuring limited-edition Two Oceans Aquarium scenes from 11h00 to 13h00 inside the Aquarium. They’ll also be educating the public about their work – come and say hi to our fantastic supporters making a real difference, one bag at a time.

During the day, the Aquarium is a wondrous place to visit. Come nightfall, it transforms into a magical space with an incredible ever-changing backdrop for any function. From gala dinners to cocktail parties and networking functions, hosting your function at the Aquarium is definitely going to give your guest something to talk about and remember.

In a continuous effort of offering new programmes to learners of all grades and backgrounds, the Two Oceans Aquarium will again be running courses for FET phase learners in 2020. The courses are offered, at no charge, to 50 grade 10s, 11s and 12s who show a keen interest in marine sciences and who may wish to pursue a career in this field. The purpose of this course is to provide important basic principles and terminology in the marine sciences, while also adding to their existing knowledge in the Physical Science and Life Science.

Wetlands occur in different environments around the world, but they all have one thing in common: they are extremely important habitats of rich biodiversity, and they have an important role to play in the lives of humans and animals alike. The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance was adopted in Iran 46 years ago, and 2 February is now celebrated globally as World Wetlands Day.