Mermaid Lagoon

*UPDATE - FEBRUARY 3 2012*

Please note that as of February 3 2012, the dugongs will be temporarily off display - but they won't be gone for long!

We're building a new home for our dugongs, Pig and Wuru, as we work towards the launch of the new SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium in September 2012! Dugongs don't like disruption, so for their own welfare, they've moved somewhere quieter while work is in progress, and will be back by May.

Meanwhile their neighbours, the fearsome looking Grey Nurse Sharks, Lemon Sharks and Smooth Rays have moved into their hood, while their Oceanarium is also being upgraded - so come and check out all the big sharks on show!

About our dugongs

Sydney Aquarium is home to 2 amazing dugongs - Pig and Wuru.

Sometimes called 'sea cows', because of their diet of sea grasses, dugongs are beautiful animals which legend has it were often mistaken for mermaids by the first European sailors to arrive in Australia's coastal waters.

Pig and Wuru were both orphaned Dugongs which were taken into captivity after being found washed up on different beaches in Queensland. Pig, a 12 year old male dugong, was separated from his mother at a very young age and was found at Forrest Beach in North Queensland. Wuru, a 6 year old female dugong was separated from her mother and found at Emu Park near Rockhampton.

Pig was released back into the wild after a period of rehabilitation, but was found washed up again soon after and so a decision was made not to release him again for fears he wouldn't survive in the wild. Both dugongs were raised to juveniles at Sea World on the Gold Coast. They now reside here at Sydney Aquarium in a large, purposely-adapted exhibit called Mermaid Lagoon where visitors can come face-to-face with them in the underwater viewing tunnels.

Pig and Wuru are the only captive dugongs in Australia, and presently there are less than 5 long-term captive dugongs in the world.

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