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Have you ever been curious as to how, and what we feed our animals? Or have you ever just simply wanted to see sharks being fed? If you've answered yes to any of these questions, then we've got you covered! We are happy to report that our ever-popular feeding times are back - effective immediately!

For nine months, the seal welfare and monitor team of our Marine Wildlife Management Programme in the V&A Waterfront has 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!

There's no way around the facts - at their current rate of decline, African penguins are going to be functionally extinct within 20 years. By 2035, some colonies which have thrived on the South African coastline for hundreds of years will be no more. Without immediate action, a future without African penguins is certain. We can prevent this - we can say #NotOnOurWatch.

Many people ask us why one of the main exhibits at the Two Oceans Aquarium carries the name "I&J". As a founding partner, I&J has supported the Two Oceans Aquarium since 1995 by supplying food for our animals, investing in education programmes through the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation, and supporting our I&J Children’s Play Centre. In 2004 I&J played a pivotal role in attaining the stringent sustainability Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for the South African hake industry, which aligns with our message of sustainable use of the ocean's resources. In 2016 the brand new I&J Ocean Exhibit opened and it has become one of our most popular exhibits - for good reason!

As humans, we are often led to believe that sharks are dangerous creatures that should be feared. This notion is portrayed in movies, books, pop culture, traditions, and in so many other ways. Sharks have been incorrectly labelled "monsters of the sea", and have been given minimal opportunity to prove themselves to be otherwise. Well, here at the Two Oceans Aquarium, they are given their “voice”, courtesy of the marvellous Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Exhibit.

We're incredibly pleased to officially welcome Dr Judy Mann-Lang to the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation as its newly appointed Executive for Strategic Projects, where she will be overseeing research and adult training programmes. Many members of the South African ocean community will recognise Judy as the former Conservation Strategist for the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR) in Durban, and we are overjoyed to be able to welcome such a well-known and well-respected figure within marine conservation education and communication circles to the team.

The moray eel family (Muraenidae) is a big one, consisting of 15 genera and 200 different species. These snake-like fish are quite shy, and tend to dwell under ledges and in rock crevices. Moray eels possess a very good sense of smell, which combined with their second set of jaws situated in the throat, makes it easier for them to secure their prey. Despite not being generally aggressive, the bacteria in their teeth means that one bite from these beauties can quickly become infected. Now that you know a little bit about moray eels, let's meet the four different types of moray eels at the Two Oceans Aquarium!

Happy Marine Protected Areas Day! Yes, today is the day that we dedicate to, and celebrate those areas around our coast, and within our marine environment, that have been declared protected areas. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are areas that function almost in the same way as nature reserves do on land. Around and off the South African coastline there are 41 MPAs, dotted between iSimangaliso in KwaZulu-Natal on the East Coast, all the way to Orange Shelf Edge, offshore of Port Nolloth in the Northern Cape on the West Coast. It might sound like our ocean territory is well covered by MPAs, but in reality, only 5% of South Africa’s ocean territory falls within an MPA.

Thanks to the support of SPAR, another junior biologist course has come and gone, and as always, it was a blast! Our highly popular junior biologist course is aimed at kids between the ages of 10 and 12, that are interested in the ocean and its beautiful plants and animals.