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uShaka Sea World Aquarium Curator acknowledged

uShaka Sea World Aquarium Curator acknowledged

Date: 2015-06-19
Recently, the Pan African Association of Zoos and Aquaria (PAAZA) held their annual conference at Salt Rock on the KZN North Coast.

Delegates representing African zoos and aquariums included those from Uganda, Egypt and Mauritius, many local South African facilities as well as international delegates from the USA and Indonesia.

Simon Chater, the Curator of the uShaka Sea World Aquarium, was awarded with the PAAZA Keeper of the Year 2015 award. This award was presented in acknowledgement of his outstanding contribution to animal care over many decades.

The citation clearly explained why Simon was a worthy recipient of the award, stating Simon's strengths being that of an excellent animal keeper, his passion for his fish, as well as the fact that he has dedicated his life to their care and display.

He is a calm and effective manager who has, over the years, inspired new generations of aquarists who care for fish with the same enthusiasm and commitment that he shows."

Simon is one of the most experienced aquarists in South Africa, having started his career as a researcher with the Oceanographic Research Institute (ORI) in 1979.

It is thanks to Simon and his tightly knit team of dedicated staff at uShaka Sea World, the largest aquarium in the Southern Hemisphere, where hundreds of thousands of people who visit each year are then inspired to care for the oceans.