IRUKANDJI & SEA SHELTER
Working Together for Marine Life Conservation
Sea Shelter is the not-for-profit organisation created by Irukandji’s founders and staff. It is dedicated to research, rescue, release, rehabilitation and regeneration of the ocean and its amazing creatures. Irukandji and Sea Shelter are intrinsically linked, as their owners, staff and volunteers dedicate their time and energy to marine life conservation.
Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters is the home for Sea Shelter’s rescued animals while they are nursed back to health until they’re ready to be released back into their home. In the near future it will be the venue for the new Sea Shelter Hospital with plans to build it within the next few years. It will operate entirely by donation with the passion and skills of its volunteers as its driving force.
Our Mission
Irukandji and Sea Shelter are dedicated to spreading awareness and making a difference for aquatic life. They do this through display, interaction, communication, education, research and action.
Some of our oceans’ worst enemies are slowly destroying the natural environment un-checked. Our mission is not to let them go by quietly! We aim to bring them into the light and hopefully play a huge part in turning it around.
Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release
Irukandji has a dedicated quarantine area which has recently become home to several sea turtles found sick and/or injured around Port Stephens.
In the past we have always sent rescued turtles to Taronga for treatment as it was the closest facility. Now we have the room and the resources to rehabilitate some of the less critical animals here.
With the help of our volunteers and experts such as the Wild Vet (Emma), Taronga Zoo, National Parks & Wildlife and a number of local vets we are hoping to nurse the turtles back to health. They stay here with us until they are ready to be released back into the ocean where they belong.
Our Team
While the Sea Shelter team includes many of Irukandji’s employees, they commit their time and energy to Sea Shelter totally voluntarily. Many of them have been know to travel long distances and stay up through the night by the sides of sick and injured animals. Their passion, commitment and dedication is what makes Sea Shelter’s mission a reality.
We are always willing and ready to accept new volunteers into our team and you can find application forms on Sea Shelter’s website here.
Our Research
Irukandji will donate at least 5% of its annual profit into research and marine life conservation every year. Our aim is to participate in field research and assist scientists who are collecting data about wild populations, ocean acidification, the results of over fishing and many more topics. Research is an ongoing important part of our natural world. Irukandji also assists the Newcastle University in projects related to the ocean. What we learn here can be applied to the many species that are facing threats in the wild.
Get Involved
These programs wouldn’t be possible without the help of thousands of volunteers. You can help us protect our oceans and marine life in many ways.
Take3forthesea, The 2 Hands Project and See Red About Rubbish are wonderful initiatives. Every day many people choose to bend down and pick up all the rubbish they can find in their given area. Picking up one piece of plastic can save thousands of animals! One piece can continue to be ingested by new species repeatedly after the original plastic diner succumbed to its blocked stomach. The first piece of plastic that ever entered the ocean is still doing that to this day.
Across Australia people are choosing to eat sustainable seafood. Now with the help of an awesome app brought to you by Australia’s Marine Conservation Society more people are able to choose sustainably sourced seafood.
The app Australia’s Sustainable Seafood Guide (now known as the Good Fish app) is a comprehensive guide to the sustainability rating of the fish available in Australia. It is full of useful information and a wonderful tool you can take anywhere with you. It’s the perfect guide when considering your menu in the restaurant. Even if you don’t eat seafood, asking “what is the fish?” can help change the world. There is plenty of cheap sustainable fish however often the restaurants don’t even realise its unsustainable until somebody lets them know.