The Two Oceans Aquarium recently paid homage to two of its time-honoured associates, the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) and the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) – by gifting each of them with a cheque worth R15 000! But the gifts came with one catch: a spokesperson from each of the institutions was requested to dive into the I&J Ocean Exhibit to retrieve the cheque while being circled by sea creatures, including an inquisitive turtle.
Both the head offices of SANCCOB and the NSRI are located in the Mother City, and each has collaborated with the Aquarium to better the lives of sea animals whose safety has been threatened. Apart from its eye-catching displays of marine life, the aquarium houses a rehabilitation centre that saves sea fauna and releases them into the ocean while SANCCOB strives to assist marine birds that have suffered harm, and the NSRI aims to ensure security in the ocean by means of search and rescue parties.
The monetary contribution to the NSRI was received directly from the aquarium, whereas that presented to SANCCOB was gathered from their wishing well. The wishing well consists of funding accumulated online and from a division of the penguin encounters.
On the same day, the funds were handed over, the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Underwater Club held its yearly Diver24 event. Ninety-two UCT divers were in the water for 24 hours on a rotating schedule of one hour at a time to amass funds. All monies were presented directly to SANCCOB and the NSRI.
Photography Jeremy Bishop/Unsplash