While most of our visitors usually only get to see the goings on in front of our acrylic windows – not-at-all selfish cleaner shrimps, under-appreciated fish that are actually awesome, the world’s favourite African penguin, and so on – there is a whole lot happening behind the scenes at the Two Oceans Aquarium, too.

A quick glance at the past four months shows how every arm of our organisation endeavours to make a real difference, big or small, for the people of South Africa and their oceans and coasts. That is why an entrance ticket or an annual membership, or even a small online donation, to the Aquarium counts for so much more than simply a visit with the fish.

Scroll down for the infographic!

• From April to July this year, 150 764 adults and children experienced our underwater world.

• We clocked 50 dive hours dedicated to conservation and sustainability through our underwater communications system.
• We introduced nine new ragged-tooth sharks to the revamped Predator Exhibit.

Photo courtesy @wakasurfer_za/Instagram

• In a world first, we put the pink meanie on display. This species has only been seen twice before and has never been displayed in an aquarium.

• Our very dedicated group of Aquarium volunteers clocked 7 222 hours of work behind and in front of the scenes.

• We clocked 593 dedicated teaching hours in our Environmental Education Centre.
• 20 901 school children received formal Marine Science lessons and 12 111 children were reached through our Outreach education programmes.

• There are currently 30 turtles in our turtle rehabilitation and release facility, and we clocked 494 hours of turtle rehabilitation work from April to July 2017.
• Through our Seal Monitoring Programme, we clocked 344 hours of seal patrols around the V&A Waterfront marina and disentangled 15 Cape fur seals.

• We raised R86 616 for conservation through several events and activations.
• We are participating in 14 (ongoing) formal research projects.
• 68% of our waste was diverted from landfill into recycling.