Two eagle stingrays and one guitarfish have died suddenly at Melbourne’s Sea Life Aquarium, an incident that one staff member alleges the aquarium is keen to keep from the public.
According to internal emails and messaging seen by Crikey, the animals died between August 8 and 15. The aquarium employee confirmed the deceased animals were the three large rays and that aquarists had not yet been able to discover the reason behind the deaths.
Crikey understands the animals were the only large rays owned by the aquarium, with other smaller stingrays alive and in good health on a different floor of the facility. The rays’ deaths have resulted in the closure of the aquarium’s “Night on the Reef” exhibit, which also displays the facility’s larger sharks.
The staff member said that the whole incident had been very “hush-hush”.
“Staff have been instructed to tell people who ask why the oceanarium is emptier to just say some of the animals ‘need extra love and care’,” the source said, adding this was established verbally during a morning staff briefing.
A Sea Life Melbourne spokesperson only confirmed the death of the guitarfish to Crikey but didn’t deny the other two deaths were the two large eagle rays, only that a “small number of creatures” had recently died. They categorically denied the staff member’s claim about misleading the public, saying the aquarium “strongly refutes any suggestion that staff were asked to mislead guests”.
“The passing of creatures is not always announced as it is a deeply sensitive and upsetting time for the teams, who remain focused on supporting those animals we continue to care for,” the spokesperson said.
“Staff at the aquarium have been kept informed throughout this difficult period and have supported us in ensuring that we sensitively communicate information to guests and the wider public.”
Sea Life is run by UK company Merlin Entertainments, which runs 45 different Sea Life aquariums worldwide. Sea Life facilities overseas have come under scrutiny in the past for “disturbing” mortality rates and for providing poor conditions for captive animals.
“[The rays] were initially exhibiting odd behaviour,” the source claimed. “They were then removed from the oceanarium for observation, and after that was when they passed away.”
An exhibit closure notice sign set out at the aquarium’s front of house reads: “A few of our animals require some extra care, so our Night on the Reef exhibit — home to our larger sharks and sting rays — is currently closed. To reflect these closures, we are offering discounted tickets.”
“Being asked to not refer to anything medical and specifically say that animals need ‘extra love and care’ rather than the reality that they’ve passed … is still misleading at the end of the day. It’s suggestive that the animals will be back when they won’t be,” the source said.
“It definitely does suck to have to say [this] to people’s faces over and over.”
