Happy Women's Day to some of our incredible ocean guardians!
Happy Women's Day to all of the inspiring women out there! From ocean education and turtle conservation to research and visitor services, the Two Oceans Aquarium and its Foundation are privileged to be staffed by some incredible, tenacious women.
Today, we're highlighting just a few of the amazing women on our staff. Let's meet them...
Ilse Jenkinson
Dr Ilse is the official Aquarium vet, so she works with an impressive array of animals every day. She also works closely with the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Marine Wildlife Management Programme!
"I love that I get to see and treat such a wide variety of animals! From filing African penguins' beaks and doing check-ups on ragged tooth sharks to darting and disentangling Cape fur seals, every day is different," says Ilse.
Bianca Engel
Bianca manages a dedicated team of educators who deliver interactive lessons and presentations to school groups ranging from Grade R to Grade 12! She loves seeing the ''wow'' moment on adults' and children's faces when they touch a sea urchin or sea anemone for the first time or discover something new about these animals.
"I am in awe and proud of the achievements of the young people who have participated in our Two Oceans Aquarium courses. Some have become educators, lawyers, oceanographers, marine scientists, aquarists, and so much more," says Bianca.
Nathalie Viljoen
Nathalie's primary job is to lead and enable biological research (inside and out the Two Oceans Aquarium) in collaboration with local universities and research institutes. In a day, Nathalie may go from conducting training sessions with university students to collecting sunfish tissue samples in the harbour!
"I love engaging with students and colleagues - through collaboration and fresh insight, we improve our understanding of the animals in our care and contribute to growing bodies of knowledge," says Nathalie.
Talitha Noble-Trull
No day is typical for Talitha, but a good day includes spending time with the rest of the turtle team, dive-feeding one of the turtles in the I&J Ocean Exhibit, and working on the development of the new turtle hospital!
"Turtle conservation points to the strong need for ocean conservation. It is not enough to deal with the symptom (a sick, stranded turtle), we need to deal with the cause: An unhealthy ocean that is the home for many creatures and a life source for humans," says Talitha.
Benhilda Jekeseni
In her role within the Visitors Service Department, Benhilda is kept on her toes! From welcoming visitors to the Aquarium, liaising with sister departments such as the ticket office and membership, and seeing that all reception duties are fulfilled, every day is busy for Benhilda.
"The best part of my job is dealing with both local and international visitors - this allows me to learn and experience a range of cultures. For example, I've met people who want to learn how to greet in our local language, and they then teach me how to greet in their language!" says Benhilda.
Shanet Rutgers
As Head Penguin Keeper, Shanet manages just about everything penguin-related - the core of her role is to ensure that every penguin housed at the Aquarium is well looked after and all their needs are met! Shanet's day-to-day includes prepping for daily feedings, managing supplements, assisting with routine health checks, and other admin.
Shanet is a passionate advocate for the protection and preservation of the endangered African penguin: "One of the best parts of my job is being surrounded by such an incredible species that act as great ambassadors of the ocean."
Chanelle Thomas
As Education Programme Manager, Chanelle finds new ways to make ocean education at the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation fun and interesting for all ages! Chanelle pictures her role as a conduit for connecting people to the ocean and speaking for the ocean inhabitants who cannot speak for themselves.
One of her favourite things about her work? "I meet and engage with young people every day. Young people are super inspiring. Through my work, I get to learn from them, and they teach me so much," says Chanelle.
Ayesha Cornelius
Ayesha cares for the well-being of the turtles undergoing rehabilitation at the Turtle Conservation Centre! She makes sure that their every need is fulfilled, from preparing food, dispensing vitamins, helping in the clinic, and recording their behaviours. Ayesha also trains turtle interns and volunteers!
One of Ayesha's favourite things about working with the turtles undergoing rehabilitation is watching their progress from rescue to release. "Turtles are such strong and resilient animals - it is so rewarding to see them overcome all their struggles. It is an extremely wholesome feeling to know that you are saving lives and doing good in the world," says Ayesha.
Tiffany Johnson
Tiffany is one of the Penguin Keepers at the Two Oceans Aquarium, and plays a huge role in supporting our African penguins' wellbeing - keeping them happy, healthy, and well-fed! Here, she supports one of our African penguins during a routine health check. The critically endangered African penguin is one of South Africa's most iconic species, and Tiffany is one of the incredible people working to raise awareness for their plight.
Tiffany loves every aspect of working closely with penguins, "whether feeding them every day or observing them with their weird and wonderful antics, I love it!".
Phindile Gazu
In her role, Phindile facilitates stakeholder engagement and works with the logistics and course development of upcoming training programmes! Phindile loves tailoring our programmes to meet the learning requirements of each group, whether local or international audiences.
"I strongly believe ocean literacy promotes sustainable practices and responsible citizenship amongst our communities, so we can all work towards healthy oceans," says Phindile.
Razaan Keur
As Clinic Coordinator of the Turtle Conservation Centre, Razaan manages medical records and ensures all treatments are administered - it's a big job! On an average day, she prepares medication, updates treatments, and administers antibiotics, antifungals, wound treatments, and nebulisers!
"I love that every day is different, and I get to witness their recovery and progression. It's remarkable how these animals recover, especially when so many arrive in such poor states," says Razaan.
Amy Stumbles
A typical day for Amy involves preparing food for the African and rockhopper penguins, feeding them daily, helping out with vet checks, and spending time getting the penguins comfortable with her presence!
"I love that I get to be a part of something bigger in terms of trying to educate people and help save their species - I really am following my passion by working with the penguins," says Amy.
Claire Taylor
As a core part of our Marine Wildlife Management team, Claire spends a lot of time in a wetsuit! A typical day for Claire can involve disentangling Cape fur seals, helping with sunfish research, and studying the movements of Cape clawless otters in the V&A Waterfront.
"One of my favourite memories is the first time we successfully disentangled a Cape fur seal from underneath the Seal Platform," says Claire. Since then, the Marine Wildlife Management Programme has disentangled nearly 1000 seals using this method!
Calley Chateau-Cyster
Calley's day-to-day involves assisting university students with research projects, working with, collecting, and analysing data, and writing up findings. She also spends time seeking out funding opportunities, conducting group sessions for adult training, and recently, sampling genetics for sunfish!
"My job allows me to work with a variety of animals on any given day. Whether it's assisting in the rescue of marine life or conducting research on different species, the diversity of animal interactions adds another layer of excitement and fulfilment to my work," says Calley.
Faith Tseriwa
As a vital part of our education team, Faith serves as the main contact for school groups interested in our amazing offerings. She reaches out to schools to promote our educational programmes, which include Aquarium visits, mobile puppet shows, and outreach visits, as well as coordinates school group bookings at the Aquarium and off-site.
"Facilitating school visits to the aquarium, seeing the excitement on the learners' faces, and enriching their educational marine experiences brings me so much joy," says Faith.
Bernice van Huyyssteen
Dr Bernice works with all the turtles that are undergoing rehabilitation. This includes everything from check-ups and prescribing courses of antibiotics to doing joint surgery and taking genetic samples! Dr Bernice cares for each of her patients with compassion and incredible expertise!
"I love the team I work with. It is a joy to work with such kind, enthusiastic, and caring people. It’s also a real privilege to work with these rare and endangered animals and make a difference in their lives," says Bernice.
Martine Viljoen
Working with our Marine Wildlife Management team, Martine has learnt to always expect the unexpected - in a day, she can go from disentangling a Cape fur seal, rescuing an injured African penguin, or assisting our Research team in taking sunfish tissue samples to building our database of marine wildlife research in the area.
"I love making the most of these unique opportunities to educate the public on our marine conservation and awareness efforts," says Martine.
Kaamilah Damons
In her dual role, Kaamilah never has a dull moment! A typical day includes finalising the school programme for the day, teaching two or three lessons to learners in varying grades, booking resources and outings, and liaising with parents and teachers.
"We often teach at schools where learners have never seen, let alone touched, a sea star or urchin. The looks on their faces when they get to interact with those animals, and when they leave knowing more about the ocean... that's the best part of my job," says Kaamilah.
Alexandra Panagiotou
In Alex's role, every day is different and exciting at the Turtle Conservation Centre - from feeding turtles, administering medications, and doing treatments to ensuring the team's operations run smoothly and conducting behavioural observations.
"I love 'problem-solving' to figure out how to help the turtles in our care get better and, of course, readying them for release," says Alex. "By protecting turtles, we also protect the ecosystems connected to them!"
Sange Speelman
A typical day for Sange includes data capture (each turtle's weight and measurements), siphoning and sterilising tanks, and replenishing stocks of vital materials like towels and disinfectant.
"Our work gives turtles a second chance. It is a privilege to be able to meet them (and help them) at their place of need until there comes a day when the ocean is a safe enough home that nature can run its course without human interruption," says Sange.
Mildred Tyali
As an Aquarist, Mildred is responsible for maintaining many of the incredible exhibits on display at the Aquarium. This includes everything from monitoring the general outlook and water quality of her exhibits, daily animal husbandry to keep the marine life under her care happy and healthy, and checking for any abnormal behaviours.
"I like everything about my job. I feel honoured to be able to work with these beautiful sea creatures on a daily basis," says Mildred.
Robyn Erasmus
Robyn serves as the primary contact for schools across the Western Cape and beyond, keeping them updated on our educational offerings! She believes that ocean education empowers individuals to take actions that ensure the health and preservation of our oceans.
"My favourite part of the job is seeing the excitement on students' faces as they explore the Aquarium - the opportunity to enrich their ocean education experiences brings me immense joy and fulfilment," says Robyn.
Helen Lockhart
As the Conservation and Sustainability Manager at the Two Oceans Aquarium, Helen is the go-to person (and driver) for many of our environmental initiatives. Her days are busy and diverse, with every day offering something unexpected.
"I love being inspired by our staff and also learning new things about marine life - the animals constantly teach me. It's very special to see beauty every day," says Helen.
Wandiswa Jonga
Wandiswa teaches the Foundation and Intermediate Phases, which requires much creativity and energy! When she steps into her classroom, Wandiswa says that she is not only a teacher but also someone who can learn a lot from her students.
"Ocean education is vital - we need to inspire the younger generation to gain love and admiration for the ocean, which will help in the sustainability of this amazing ecosystem," says Wandiswa.
Victoria Munley
Daily, Victoria engages with our growing turtle community, creates certificates for turtle adoptions, and coordinates with our various stakeholders. Every Tuesday, Vic helps out with scribing while the hatchlings in our care are weighed and measured!
"I love hearing the stories from people who visit, rescue, and follow the turtles at the TCC. It's inspiring to see how deeply these special creatures impact them, often motivating them to support our work and protect the turtles and their ocean home," says Victoria.
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