uShaka Marine World Durban South Africa

uShaka Marine World is a happy, fun experience in a relaxed environment. Magnificent marine animals create the atmosphere and are clearly the stars!

The largest aquarium in the “southern hemisphere,” Marine World opened in 2004 and easily became a major attraction for tourists and South Africans.

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Underground viewing galleries extend through a series of “four superbly designed old shipwrecks”.

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The park has 6 themed sections:

• Wet N’ Wild – freshwater with tubes, slides, swimming pools, and rafting courses
• Sea World – dolphin, seal, and penguin shows, shark dives, and a Sea Animal Encounters Island / Lagoon where visitors snorkel and meet dolphins and seals in the water, face to face
• Village Walk – open-air shopping mall
• Kids World – Africa’s biggest jungle gym, a sandpit, painting paradise, live shows, and a kiddie spa
• Dangerous Creatures – life-sized artist reproductions of reptiles – poisonous frogs, venomous Gila monsters, cobra, goliath bullfrogs, tree vipers, Taipan snakes, and a rare Tegu lizard
• Chimp and Zee Rope Adventure Park – a child-friendly rope adventure park “with the longest belay system in Africa” and a double zip line over the snorkel lagoon

I spent most of the day in Sea World thoroughly enjoying the dolphins, Cape fur seals, and African penguins. The animals are brilliant, happy, and healthy. They’re clearly loved and well cared for. During each show, staff discuss current environmental challenges facing sea animals, encouraging respect for the sea and its creatures.

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“Aquarium displays represent the natural habitat of sea creatures and depict a story that ties in with the Phantom Ship theme.”

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Popular dolphin and seal shows are performed in open-air stadiums. Performances include interaction with the audience.

Eleven gorgeous Cape fur seals delighted their audience – Spungie, Hlabhayi, Mobi, Thembeka, Tee, Mullet, Moya, Daisy, Jabu, Dosy, and Illanga. Seemingly natural-born entertainers, seals are especially adept at entertaining and hamming it up.

Ten incredible, lovable dolphins performed during the Dolphin Show – Gambit, Frodo, Khethise, Kelpie, Kwezi, Ingelosi, Tombi, Khanya, Affrika, Zulu! Their antics and sounds were fascinating.

Each unique animal at uShaka has its own individual story. Many were rescued and nursed back to health. When possible, Marine World attempts releasing all animals back into the wild.