Welcome to our News Update for Autumn 2026, if you are visiting the SEA LIFE Hunstanton, don´t forget to purchase your entrance tickets in advance.
After months of expert rehabilitation at SEA LIFE Hunstanton, the rescued Loggerhead Turtles, Olive and Betty, are about to be released back into the wild!
The little ladies will be leavingSEA LIFE Hunstanton on the 28th of September 2026 to go swimming in the beautiful blue waters of the Azores. Working with these girls will be a memory the Team will not forget! Come and visit them before Olive and Betty head off on their big adventure!
Looking for a fun day out with the little ones? Why not come down to the Rainforest Area!* and learn some cool and amazing facts about our creatures.
Meet Ned the Bearded Dragon and learn about his habitat and characteristics with one of the Rainforest Rangers!
*Those with a Phobia of Snakes don´t worry/panic they are kept inside the "Rainforest Area". When you arrive, just ask the lovely staff at the front of house desk which area to avoid, then you can relax and enjoy your visit.
Do you have a passion for Gardening? So do the amazing Black Pacu fish!!...Pacu have flat, human-like teeth that crush hard nuts and fruits that drop into the water from trees. Many of the seeds they swallow...survive their digestion. When the fish swim away and poop, they drop the living seeds onto the riverbed or flooded forest floor.
If you take a closer look in their tank you can see seeds swimming around amongst the fish.
Shhhhh! the Dwarf Caiman is sleeping!
They love their beauty sleep, averaging around 15 hours of sleep a day! We wish!
Cuvier Dwarf Caiman Crocodiles (Paleosuchus Palpebrosus) are the smallest living species of crocodilian in the world. When fully grown, they will only weigh 5-7kg which is a big difference to the biggest species of crocodile, the salt water crocodile who weighs anywhere from 100kg to 1500kg when fully grown.
The summer holidays have come to an end!...Make the most of your autumn months and discover the magic of SEA LIFE Hunstanton.
Discover the tropical Amazon Rainforest and pop your heads up to get up and close with the Cuvier Dwarf Caiman Crocodiles. Are you brave enough to crawl through the tunnel to this viewing dome?
This is a Longhorn Cow Fish (Lactoria cornuta)...these crazy cool fish have some amazing adaptations!!
These creatures feed on small worms and crustaceans by blowing strong jets of water out of their mouths to uncover hidden prey in the sand. If their distinct horns get damaged or broken, they can completely grow back in a few months. How crazy is that!!
Have you ever met such a nosy fish as a Napoleon Wrasse (Crassilabrus undulatus)...This nosy fish has 360-Degree Vision: Their eyes can turn almost completely around, giving them incredible sight.
This lovely friend likes to follow people throughout the ocean tank and tunnel! Make sure you keep your eyes peeled next time you pass through as you might have gained an extra shadow. Napoleon Wrasse is also known as the Maori Wrasse and Napoleonfish.
Imagine a world where wonder knows no bounds! These creatures are bursting with excitement to share the magic with you!
Join in on the fun in one of the VIP meet the penguins experiences and learn all about the cheeky residents...Meet the penguins!
Learn about their diet and unique personalities. Entry to SEA LIFE included.
Weigh the penguins and see behind the scenes elements! Book via this link to the Official SEA LIFE Hunstanton Website.
Did you know...Humboldt Penguins can literally "blush" to help cool themselves down when they get too warm.
Have you met the Inca Terns?
Why not meet them in one of the "meet the penguins experiences"...Both male and female Inca Terns grow elegant white feather tufts on the sides of their faces that resemble a handlebar moustache.
The length of a Tern´s moustache is a signal of its physical condition. Birds with longer moustaches are healthier, have stronger immune systems, and make more successful breeding partners.
The Resident Seals are always on the lookout for a fishy treat, why not come on down to SEA LIFE Hunstanton and to watch the lovely ladies being fed lunch or dinner!
Come and learn all about their lifestyles and crazy characters!
We can´t wait to see you swimming on down soon!
Book your entrance tickets via this link to the official SEA LIFE Hunstanton website.
Did you know...Common seals (also known as harbour seals) can drop their heart rate from around 40 beats per minute down to less than 1 beat per minute when diving underwater.
Join the SEA LIFE Hunstanton for the Annual Global 24 hour beach clean on the 17th of September 2026!
Merlin teams all around the world will be joining forces to do our bit and clean our waterways of litter and debris and care for the wonderful world we live in!
Meet just outside of the SEA LIFE Hunstanton centre at 3pm, please wear appropriate footwear and bring along your own litter picks and gloves...if you are able - if not the staff are able to provide some!
Plastic pollution is choking our oceans - and by 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the sea.
This is YOUR chance to take action and help us to clean up the beautiful and diverse Norfolk beaches. Grab a bag, gather your family and friends, and help us turn the tide.
Half-Price Fun for Little Explorers!
Ready for an ocean adventure...From the 9th of September to the 15th of October 2026, kids can dive into an underwater world at SEA LIFE Hunstanton with 50% off kids´ tickets!
Get up close to amazing creatures, discover fascinating underwater worlds and make memories the whole family will love.
Don´t miss out, dive into your deep sea adventure now: Book via this link.
Quiet Time at the Aquarium!
On the first Sunday of every month SEA LIFE Hunstanton are running Quiet Time at the Aquarium sessions during the final hour of opening.
These sessions provide a quieter experience for those with Autism and other neurodiverse conditions.
The centre´s music, hand driers and televisions will be switched off. And the Staff will have ear defenders and stickers available, should you need them.
The grey seals pups season is normally between September and March, if you are visiting the coast around Norfolk, you may well see pups, can we remind you that they may look cute, but they have sharp teeth that carry harmful bacterial.
This photo was taken using a large telephoto lens.
SEAL SAFETY : Grey Seal Pupping Season is happening now (from September to March) and many visitors in Norfolk will be flocking to North Norfolk beaches to see them.
Some of us will spend some time on the beach with games to enjoy in the autumn and winter months. Switching from a flying ring (hollow) to a solid disc (like a Frisbee) means there is one less danger in the water for young seal pups, who may get them caught around their necks.
Businesses who stop selling flying rings can sign up to the North North District Council´s Seal of Approval campaign and be sent a window sticker and certificate for their shop. By proudly displaying this certificate, they show their commitment to seal safety and become advocates in their community.
Whilst you walk around Hunstanton sea front / promenade and also in local car parks, you may notice that the council have added "no flying rings on beaches" signs on their boards!
Would you like to Sponsor an Animal?
Help make a real difference to the conservation work and breeding programs at SEA LIFE Hunstanton.
Your Adoption will Help to make a real difference to the conservation work and breeding programmes at SEA LIFE Hunstanton. A SEA LIFE adoption also makes a fantastic gift.
For over 37 years SEA LIFE Hunstanton has been rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing seal pups from the North Sea coastline and beyond that find themselves in trouble, whether it be eye problems, respiratory infections and malnourishment to broken bones, pollution-related problems and being separated from their mother too soon.
A quick reminder that if you discover a seal pup that is in distress or alone, please call the SEA LIFE Hunstanton on 01485 533576 and/or the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) team on 01825 765546.
The Animal Care Team are on call around the clock to race to the rescue of seal pups in trouble anywhere around the coast.
DO keep your distance;
DON´T attempt to handle or touch the pup;
DON´T attempt to put the pup back in the sea;
DON´T ignore the situation;
DO tell the appropriate organisation.
When you ring, please be prepared to give an exact location of the seal, your contact details, what condition is the seal in for example is it alone, thin, injured or seems unwell (noisy breathing, coughing, runny nose). Tell people around you to keep clear of the seal by at least 100 metres, if you can, draw a circle in the sand around the pup.
Remember most often seals come out of the water on to land to rest, digest after eating their food, relax and sleep.
If you come across seals resting on a beach, please give them plenty of space and avoid approaching them.
The Defra Marine and Coastal Wildlife Code recommends staying at least 100 metres away from marine wildlife - this helps to protect the seal´s well-being as well as your own.
This photo (below) was taken with a Canon 7D camera and a 14mm-400mm lens!
If you come across a dead seal, the advice is not to touch or go near it, please call West Norfolk council on 01553 616200.
If you find a stranded living marine animal, please call the SEA LIFE Hunstanton on 01485 533576 and/or the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) team on 01825 765546.
This news update has been put together by volunteers/supporters of the SEA LIFE Hunstanton
