Oceanarium

A small colony of Cape fur and Subantarctic seals became resident at Bayworld following stranding due to separation from their mothers in high seas, illness or injury.  They provide a unique, up-close experience, allowing visitors to view age and gender variations as well as swimming and feeding behaviours.  Entertaining demonstrations of their adaptations to the aquatic environment through interactions with their trainers and related explanations and stories are presented.

African penguins, currently raising chicks or tending eggs, also provide entertaining moments as they demonstrate their exceptional agility in the water as supposed/ opposed to their rather awkward and cumbersome movements on land. This is an endangered species.  The hand-raised rockhopper penguins greet visitors in amplified vocals, expecting some fishy reward.

The two fully grown (2,6m / 2,8m) raggedtooth sharks allow ample time to count their truly ragged jawfuls of cutting tools and study their pulsing gill-slits as they slowly cruise around the round fish tank. In contrast the shy leopard and tiger cat sharks display their less threatening and more peaceful style of life.

Probably one of the most intriguing aquatic animals at the aquarium is the large octopus who, at times, flashes out its full size and extent of its eight sucker lined legs and does a form of dance across the length and breadth of the tank. Or marvel at the tiny Knysna seahorses as they coil around the furniture in their tank or “gallop” in slow motion across the window.

Even regular SCUBA divers will not be able to see a more beautiful group of mussel cracker as seen through the portholes of the open ocean tank – some of these fish are more than 20 years old. Did you know that mussel cracker change their sex?  If one arrives early in the morning or late in the afternoon, one might be lucky to hear some the large Kob species vocalizing.

The Tropical tank holds a kaleidoscope of colourful fish representing more than 60 species. The aquarists pride in this tank is the large shoal of Moorish Idols with their striking colour and long trailing filamentous fins.  The tank also houses a number of sea turtles that are being rehabilitated before release.