Meet Pig and Wuru these Holidays

After nine months of refurbishment and our relaunch as SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium in September, our dugongs Pig and Wuru are both back on display at the attraction.

Sometimes called 'sea cows' because of their diet of sea grasses, and often referred to the as "mermaids of the sea", dugongs are beautiful and incredibly unique-looking animals.

Our dugongs - male Pig, and female, Wuru, are the only dugongs on display in Australia, two of only six - and the only pair - on display anywhere in the world!

 

Pig - affectionately named after his eating habits - is now 14 years old, and was rescued from Forrest Beach in North Queensland when he became separated from his mother at a very early age.

After a period of rehabilitation, Pig was released into the wild. However when he was found washed up again a decision was made not to release him again for fears he wouldn't survive in the wild.

Wuru, who is 8 years old, was also orphaned early. And although, she's much younger than Pig, at over 400kg she's actually twice his size - as is the norm for female dugongs.

Pig and Wuru are now healthy and happy residing here at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium in a large, purposely-adapted exhibit called Dugong Island where guests can pay them a friendly visit and  come face-to-face with them in the underwater viewing tunnels.

Dugongs are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium actively contributes to dugong research and supports the University of Queensland with their annual assessment of the health of wild dugong populations.

 

Meet the Dugongs!