Oceanworld Manly |
Merlin Entertainments Group has announced that on 28 June
2012, Oceanworld Manly will relaunch as Manly SEA LIFE Sanctuary, operating
under the SEA LIFE banner as a world-class facility for the breeding,
protecting, rescue and rehabilitation of Australian marine life.
'Penguin Cove' to help protect Manly's endangered Little
Penguin colony
To herald the opening of Manly SEA LIFE Sanctuary, the
attraction will launch a brand new exhibit 'Penguin Cove', where visitors can
discover Manly's iconic Little Penguins and their importance to the shores of
Manly. Manly is one of the last mainland breeding colonies of this species in Australia.
While they can usually only be seen in the wild when they are nesting, the
launch of the 'Penguin Cove' will allow visitors to see them all year round.
The Manly SEA LIFE Sanctuary penguin colony will be made up of captive bred and
surplus animals from other institutions in line with the Australian species
management plan for the Little Penguins.
World-class marine rehabilitation facility
At the core of the relaunch, Manly SEA LIFE Sanctuary will
open a new rehabilitation facility for sick and injured sea life in order to
care for higher quantities of these marine animals. Oceanworld Manly
General Manager, Kris Lim, added: "Over the years we have been receiving
more frequent reports of marine wildlife in distress off the coast of Sydney, indicating there
is a clear need for dedicated facilities that can respond to these calls.
Visitors will be able to actively support our efforts to breed, rescue and
protect our local marine wildlife, which in turn will assist us with our core
mission - to empower visitors to help safeguard the marine environment and its
population".
Green Sea Turtles recovering on site
Oceanworld Manly |
A testament to the potential of the rehabilitation facility
at Manly SEA LIFE Sanctuary is the attraction's recent success of caring for
two adult Green Sea Turtles that were rescued from the Northern Beaches late
last year. The female turtle was showing signs of high stress and flotation
issues. Likely to have been caused by a boat strike - one of the biggest
threats to marine turtle populations - she was brought to Oceanworld Manly for
assessment and rehabilitation, which included being placed into a shallow warm
water pool, away from environmental stresses, where she was treated with
antibiotics and allowed to rest. Now able to stay submerged and swim normally,
staff are preparing for the final stages of her rehabilitation before she will
be tagged and released. The second turtle, a three flippered turtle, was
rehabilitated and will also be released in the coming months. The progress of
both turtles after release will be tracked closely by the Sanctuary team.
Dive with rare captive born Grey Nurse Sharks
For those who would like to take the plunge and face their
fears, the iconic Shark Dive Xtreme will continue to allow visitors the chance
to come face-to-face with Australia's
largest collection of critically-endangered Grey Nurse Sharks, as well as
Stingrays, Turtles and a large variety of other marine animals. Visitors will
have the chance to dive with the newest resident to the four million litre
Oceanarium, two-year-old female shark Freckles, as well as juvenile male shark Murdoch,
who was born and bred on site and is a huge testament to the success of the
attraction's Grey Nurse shark breeding programme and six adult Grey Nurse
sharks.
Oceanworld Manly |
What: Manly SEA LIFE Sanctuary official opening, West
Esplanade, Manly, NSW, 2095
When: Thursday, 28 June 2012
Opening hours: 10.00am - 5.30pm daily
Cost: Adults: $20, Children (4-15 years inc.): $12,
Student/Pensioner: $16, Under 4 years: FREE
Shark Dive Xtreme Cost: Prices from $175.50 online
Contact: 02 8251 7877
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