Sea World Foundation

Sea World Foundation Dedicated to understanding, protecting and conserving the marine environment for future generations.

The official page of Sea World Research & Rescue Foundation, dedicated to understanding, protecting & conserving marine life.

🌏 Today is World Dugong Day, and at we have a long history of conducting vital research and rescue operations to assis...
28/05/2026

🌏 Today is World Dugong Day, and at we have a long history of conducting vital research and rescue operations to assist the majestic marine mammals.

In one of our longest running research projects, we proudly assist The University of Queensland on an annual health assessment of the species in Moreton Bay. These assessments, led by Dr. Janet Lanyon are conducted by a highly-skilled team of biologists and veterinarians who assess clinical health, body condition and reproductive status of the species to establish baseline clinical health parameters while also identifying the importance of protecting seagrass beds in the area.

Locally, dugong habitats stretch from the Gold Coast Broadwater right up to Moreton Bay, and we encourage all water users to do so respectfully and to go slow for those below!

23/05/2026

Happy World Turtle Day!

To celebrate, we’d like to introduce you to some special hybrid sea turtles, Archie and Kelly, who came into our care as part of a conservation mission with the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) to gain valuable insights.

The two turtles were discovered as part of a clutch of loggerhead x green turtle hatchlings at Mon Repos Conservation Park, located near Bundaberg, before being relocated to seaworldaus

Archie and Kelly are being cared for in our aquatic research, rescue and rehabilitation area, where our experienced aquarist team can monitor their health, manage their diet and document their growth. All of this data is providing incredible insight into the hybrid species and will help researchers into the future.

18/05/2026

Head along with our team who over the weekend joined NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service to conduct the first disentanglement operation of the season to save a young humpback whale impacted by ropes and buoys from a commercial fishing longline off Forster.

In a coordinated multi-day operation, highly-trained rescue crews from and the NPWS Large Whale Disentanglement team used specialised equipment to complete the intricate operation to remove the rope and buoy which was heavily entangled around the whale’s head and body, and more unusually in its mouth. The rescue efforts were also supported by Marine Rescue NSW and ORRCA

Following the rescue, the team monitored the whale for a short period before leaving it to continue its migration.

This activity was conducted under NSW Biodiversity Conservation Licence MWL000100249.

15/05/2026

We’re taking the opportunity this to continue our mission to raise awareness and encourage people to help save the critically endangered Grey Nurse Shark.

Sadly, there are estimated to be fewer than 2000 individuals remaining on the East Coast of Australia with the main threats fishing interactions, habitat interference and the species low maturation and breeding success.

At , we are dedicated to protecting and conserving the species through our research rescue operations:

🦈 Rescue: we have conducted multiple operations to rescue grey nurse sharks who have become entangled in fishing equipment along the East Coast, with every individual saved being crucial to their species.

🔬 Research: we conduct vital research projects with government agencies to identify and protect key aggregation sites to ensure we safeguard the species into the future.

To help conserve the species, we’re encouraging everyone to ensure they fish responsibly and for dive communities to respect the species space and report any injuries.

08/05/2026

Head along with the team as they conducted their annual whale rescue exercises as part of ongoing specialist training to coincide with the annual Humpback Whale migration period on the Gold Coast from June-November.

The training is vital to ensure the team is prepared and ready for the upcoming season and simulated mobile disentanglements scenarios covering various techniques on a purpose-built training whale called Moby.

Last season, the team conducted seven successful operations to save whales who became entangled in ropes, buoys or netting, and with over 40 thousand whales due to migrate this season, we are anticipating that we will unfortunately see more this year, but the experienced team will remain on standby throughout the season.

05/05/2026

Last month, our team travelled to Raja Ampat in Indonesia to join ReShark in rewilding a leopard shark (also known as zebra shark) as part of the Stegostoma tigrinum Augmentation and Recovery (StAR) project.

As a member of the StAR project, Sea World - Gold Coast, Australia sends eggs from the resident leopard sharks to Indonesia to assist with the global conservation efforts to repopulate the species and excitingly one of the eggs which hatched at the Raja Ampat Research and Conservation Centre RARCC was due to be rewilded.

Two of our specialised aquarium team travelled over 4,000kms to join the ReShark team and release Shishino, a juvenile leopard shark with a satellite and acoustic tag into the idyllic waters off Raja Ampat.

This was a full circle moment for our team, and showcases the importance zoos and aquariums play in conserving species.

28/04/2026

Earlier this month, in one of the more unusual operations, the team successfully conducted surgery to remove a fishing hook entanglement from a moray eel who was rescued after being entangled in Tallebudgera Creek.

After being brought into care at Sea World - Gold Coast, Australia aquatic research, rescue and rehabilitation area, Dr Claire Madden and the aquarist team placed the eel under anesthetic to conduct the surgery to remove two large fish hooks and a section of fishing line.

Following the successful surgery and a short rehabilitation stint, the team returned the eel to Tallebudgera Creek.

24/04/2026

Tomorrow is , and behalf of all of us at and we want to say a massive thank you to not only our incredible veterinary team, but all the other veterinarians, vet assistants, specialists and the wider team who dedicate their lives to saving animals.

The health and wellbeing of the animals in our care is of the utmost priority at Sea World and Paradise Country, and we have an amazing veterinary team who look after the resident animals. These teams work hand-in-hand with our animal specialists on a range of preventative health care, husbandry behaviours measures and are available to respond to any emergency situations.

As well as managing the animals who reside with us, the vet teams provide their specialised services to rescued animals through the to provide initial treatment, diagnosis, surgery and rehabilitation plans to get rescued animals returned to their environments. These teams work in all conditions and often out on location to ensure we are providing the best care for the animals in situations where they need it the most.

17/04/2026

🐋 What an effort!

Rescue crews from the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service ORRCA Forster Dive Centre and Barray Alliance Rangers successfully freed the sub-adult humpback whale from the Forster area late this afternoon.

Following the initial rescue attempts on Tuesday, the nine metre, 10 tonne whale unfortunately re-stranded on a sandbank late Thursday night prompting the urgent multi-agency rescue operation which commenced Friday morning.

The highly trained rescue teams worked together using specialised slings to tow the whale off the sandbank and into the main channel, before working with local authorities and council to close the Forster-Tuncurry bridge allowing the whale to swim out the river and into the open ocean to continue its migration.

This was a tremendous outcome which couldn’t have been achieved without the collaborative efforts of a multitude of stakeholders, and rescuers were elated to see the whale finally swim out of the river mouth and into the open ocean late today.

We also want to say a massive thank you to the NSW Police Force, Marine Rescue NSW, the Mid Coast Council and the wider Forster-Tuncurry community who rallied behind this whale to give it its best chance of survival.

Check out the incredible drone footage of the rescue operation captured by Daryn McKenny from ORRCA

15/04/2026

It was an early start to the whale season for the team who yesterday joined NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, ORRCA and Forster Dive Centre to re-float a sub-adult humpback whale which stranded on a sandbank at Forster.

The nine metre, 10 tonne humpback whale entered the Coolongolook River near Forster late Sunday before becoming stranded on the sandbar on Monday afternoon, with organisations planning the rescue operation for Tuesday.

Three highly trained teams from Sea World Foundation, NPWS and ORRCA worked together and used specialised slings, which were placed under the whale’s pectoral fins, to tow the whale off the initial sandbank and into the main channel where it could swim freely.

Despite the ordeal, the whale is in a good condition with some minor skin issues from being in the sun, and while it remains in the Wallis Lake area, we are hopeful it will now be able to navigate its way back out to the open ocean.

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