WINSTON WEEKLY©^[1]

June 22, 2025

Vol. 3, No. 25

DOWN UNDER[2]

The Sea Life Aquarium in Darling Harbour, Sydney, Australia, features more than 300 species, including Pig, a rescued dugong. Pig is only one of three dugongs held in captivity worldwide, following two unsuccessful attempts at release back into the wild. He was originally rescued in 1998 in Queensland, Australia after being separated from his mother.

For those unfamiliar with dugongs, they resemble manatees. They are slow-moving, with a diet limited primarily to seagrass, although Pig thrives on lettuce and bean sprouts. Manatees have a more varied diet, including algae and freshwater plants, and consume up to 15% of their body weight daily. The dugong population has decreased by approximately 20% over the past several decades, with larger populations in the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, and Shark Bay and Moreton Bay in Australia.  

The Sea Life Aquarium is known for multiple rescues, including the seahorse rescue program. Seahorses ambush their prey through their long snouts and eat up to 3,000 crustaceans a day, including brine and shrimp. “Seahorse hotels” have been installed in the Harbour at Clifton Bay, protecting the seahorses once released from the aquarium. The aquarium has been a long-time supporter of the Sea Life Trust. The Trust protects sea turtles worldwide, rescues and rehabilitates injured seal pups, and reduces beach debris. The Trust has two marine sanctuaries, the Beluga Whale Sanctuary in Iceland, and the Cornish Seal Sanctuary in the United Kingdom.

THIS WEEK’S ACTIVITY

Involve a child in a discussion or project regarding the cost of operating an aquarium, including:

 1) What things should be considered?

 2) How is the water cleaned?

3) How do you ensure the animals have enough food?

4) When should rescued marine life be released back into their natural habitats?

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[1] A Sunday newsletter and blog by Alysen Bayles to be shared with the appropriate attribute.

[2] Resources: www.visitsealife.com; Rebecca Self, What’s the Difference Between Manatees and Dugongs? Jan. 15, 2015, Good Nature, www.nathab.com; Sara A. Louie, Seahorses: A Life-Size Guide to Every Species, University of Chicago Press, 2016.