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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.

Do you have a love for the ocean? Do you wonder about what life lives beneath the waves? Or perhaps you want to know why South Africa has such rich and diverse marine life? If it is your dream to become a marine biologist or an oceanographer then this course is for you.The Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation will be offering a three-year online Marine Sciences course in 2021. The course is aimed at commencing Grade 10 learners who would like to study Marine Sciences as an 8th school subject. The subject will form part of their Matric certification and will be reflected on their final Matric certificate.

When Tinus Beukes was appointed the new General Curator of the Two Oceans Aquarium in March 2020, little did he know he’d be taking the reins just as we were about to enter lockdown. But, with years of managerial and hands-on aquarist experience at the Two Oceans Aquarium and uShaka Seaworld, our new General Curator and his team were ready! Meet Tinus, as he shares his unique Aquarium story with us.

When it comes to rehabilitating stranded sea turtles, it's no small task that the rescue team of the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation take on. On average, it costs about R5000 to care for a stranded hatchling - from the time it arrives at the Aquarium after being rescued by concerned members of the public, through a few months of veterinary care to get it strong and healthy, and finally a boat trip out to sea to release it back into its ocean home. However, as Maryke, Talitha and the team will tell you: Every turtle is a unique case, and rarely is "average" care enough.

No Two Oceans Aquarium visit would be complete without seeing those "big" iconic animals - the penguins, ragged-tooth sharks, white steenbras and the turtles. But, that's only part of our incredible underwater biodiversity, and once you settle into your visit, you really begin to notice the smaller, quirkier animals that are just as interesting - and the Skretting Diversity Gallery is home to many of them!

What's better than gifting someone a Two Oceans Aquarium entry ticket? Giving them an entire year of unlimited Aquarium visits!An annual membership to the Two Oceans Aquarium is fantastic value, and the ideal gift for young ocean-lovers, anyone who loves the quiet of a daily delve into the underwater world, or families that love indulging their curiosity. With a whole year of possibility, it's one gift you can be sure won't be forgotten at the end of the month!Gift memberships also include all our regular members' benefits:Access to special members-only family events Skip the ticket office queue Discounts at Bootlegger Coffee Company at the Aquarium Discounts on all Two Oceans Aquarium hosted public events, like Deep Blue Dinner Discounts on all Experiences, such as scuba diving Free seawater for your home aquarium There's no need to visit the Aquarium in person - you can buy a gift membership online and print the voucher yourself if you prefer. Gift memberships are valid for three months, and the year of unlimited access only starts on the gift recipient's first visit during that time. If you have any questions about gift memberships or becoming a member yourself, we're here to assist you.{image_1}

We've missed Trash Bashes! Despite the hurdles that 2020 has thrown at us, we are very please that we were finally able to safely head to Milnerton Beach for another Trash Bash beach cleanup.

The three species of ray in the I&J Ocean Exhibit demonstrate the biodiversity of these two oceans, and their commingling.