SEA Life Malaysia, Legoland® Malaysia Resort's Lego®-themed marine sanctuary, has exchanged 20 of its newly hatched pot-bellied seahorse fry and 8 juveniles for Aquaria KLCC's freshwater fish, 2 striped carp and 10 hampala barb. This is the first of many planned exchanges that will foster a relationship of shared knowledge, care, and expertise on marine life and conservation between the two sanctuaries.
"With marine conservation at the heart of our organization, this exchange is part of Sea Life Malaysia's larger efforts to protect aquatic life for future generations. Our Breed, Rescue, and Protect Program and exchanges like this help us play a meaningful role within the marine conservation ecosystem. We look forward to more animal exchanges with marine sanctuaries in the region in the future. We are always open to forming partnerships with reputable and sustainable organisations and looking for new ways to highlight more of the many interesting and wonderful creatures of the ocean to the public,” said Kristian Griffin, Manager at Sea Life Malaysia.
The exchange is part of a crucial effort from the two sanctuaries to find sustainable methods to maintain marine population ecosystems. Both the seahorses and carps that were bred and exchanged are facing extinction in the wild due to overfishing and pollution of their natural habitats.
Sea Life Malaysia's pot-bellied seahorses are bred under the sanctuary's Breed, Rescue, and Protect (BRP) Program, a global program run throughout Sea Life’s across the globe. The program aims to protect the ocean for future generations by conserving the productive habitat, rehabilitating endangered aquatic life, and educating the next generation about the oceans' ecosystems. Sea Life Malaysia has successfully bred around 50 Pot-bellied seahorses, 2 Blue Spotted Rays and 14 Epaulette sharks since it opened in May 2019.
"These exchanges will form the basis for the sharing of knowledge, care, and expertise between our marine sanctuaries and aquariums around the region. With the addition of these marine animals, visitors at both sanctuaries will be able to appreciate Malaysia's thriving underwater ecosystem," said Andrew Lee, Curator at Aquaria KLCC.
Kristian futher elaborated “Marine conservation is just one of the many pillars that Sea Life Malaysia feels strongly about. In addition to driving conservation, we strive to build a love for the ocean and all aquatic life by housing a rich array of marine species in our aquarium for our guests to have upclose experiences with. Our latest resident is the Giant Pacific Octopus which has been one of the most requested animals from our guests since our opening. We hope our guests look froward to meeting and learning about its interesting and unique characteristics”.
For the latest update on promotion and activities, stay connected with Legoland® Malaysia Resort via Facebook and Instagram. For more information on Sea Life Malaysia and their Breed, Rescue, and Protect (BRP) initiative, you can visit their website at: https://www.legoland.com.my/explore/sea-life-aquarium/sea-life-trust/. – The Vibes, April 21, 2021
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