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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.

Eagle rays (Myliobatis aquila) are an iconic South African marine species. Small, but charming, these rays are found along the entire length of our coastline, and range as far as the Black Sea and the African East Coast. These charismatic animals have long been a favourite of visitors - big and small - at the Two Oceans Aquarium, but how much do you really know about them?

We all know it's the festive season when we start noticing the classic red and white decor popping up everywhere - tree ornaments, Scuba Claus at the Aquarium, and good old Father Christmas. Things just wouldn't seem quite the same without the classic red and white to inspire our yuletide glee!We know why humans lovered and white, but why are these colours common in the animal kingdom too?

South Africans are all feeling the brunt of load shedding right now, and whether you are a businessperson losing out, a commuter stuck in disrupted traffic, or parent unable to prepare a warm meal for your kids, we all have reasons to feel incredibly annoyed by the current situation. Fortunately, we South Africans are a resilient bunch, and we know how to find humour in almost any situation - here are some interesting ocean animals that we think would be able to use their "superpowers" to overcome some of load shedding's annoyances.

Picking the perfect gift for a child isn't always easy. On one hand, it's important to find something fun and interactive, but on the other hand, you may want a gift that will help your little one learn something new and discover more fascinating reasons to keep exploring. The Two Oceans Aquarium's Puppet Stories children's books tick all those boxes!

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.

Currently, there are about 440 known species of shark in the world, ranging from the massive whale shark to the tiny dwarf lanternshark. Some sharks hunt with large serrated teeth, some use electric shocks, some use their huge tails to whip their prey, some are even covered in spikes like a porcupine or poop out glow-in-the-dark blue ink to frighten predators. These animals are amazing, and South Africa is home to 117 different types of sharks, representing all their major families.

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.

It is during the Western leopard toad breeding season in Cape Town that we often get to see some of the other species of frogs which share the breeding pond sites with the toads. These include arum lily frogs, Cape river frogs, clicking stream frogs, Cape sand frogs, common platannas, flat cacos and, in recent years, painted reed frogs (not seen in Zeekoevlei, but they are present at the Bergvliet and Kirstenhof breeding sites). Here is some information about these species.

Sea urchins are amazing animals - it's a pity they don't get as much love as they deserve. We took a closer look at some of the urchins that live in the Aquarium to reveal the tiny curiosities and incredible intricacies of these prickly echinoderms.

On 18 and 19 December 2020 we will be keeping our doors open until 21h00 for anyone with an active Two Oceans Aquarium annual membership.