Stingrays Ali and Merlin will be focus of Sea Life events
BRAY Sea Life will celebrate the life of its first ever stingray,
Ali, who died recently, and celebrate the birth of Merlin, the first stingray of its kind born in Ireland, this month.
When Bray Sea Life opened its doors in 1998 one of the first creatures in situ was Ali the stingray.
However the popular attraction who was the last of the original aquarium population died recently at the age of 21. A short time before Ali’s death Bray Sea Life hit the headlines with the birth of Ireland’s first baby Cownose stingray – Merlin.
This month, from August 8 to August 13, Bray Sea Life will host a series of events to remember Ali and welcome Merlin.
There will be talks and tours and a special family event on Thursday, August 10, at which conservationist Pat O’Suilleabhan will cover Ali’s early years at Sea Life, her important role in marine conservation and the five year breeding programme which resulted in the birth of Merlin, an endangered species in the wild.
Pat will share the challenges of championing a conservation cause that is under-funded, un- der-resourced and under-valued. He will talk about SEA LIFE’s breeding programmes, their international dimension, the success stories in Bray and the disappointing setbacks. He will also reveal details of a project that could safeguard Co Wicklow’s local marine environment for generations to come.
Admission to this event is free and the evening will include the naming of ‘Ali’s Bay’. Booking is essential on 01 286 6939.