5 Reasons Cotton-Top Tamarins are Endangered The tiny cotton-top tamarin is one of the smallest primates in the world. At 30cm tall (plus a bit extra for their tales) these furry-headed monkeys are about the size of a small squirrel you might find in your garden. But unlike the squirrels in your garden, the cotton-top … Continued

Ghost Fishing Gear Have you heard of ghost fishing gear? We aren’t talking about Casper taking up angling! Ghost fishing gear is what happens when commercial fishing gear is lost or discarded.   So what is the big deal? This discarded fishing gear can cause serious problems for marine animals. Fish get caught in nets … Continued

Miraculous recovery for seal injured by fishing gear One lucky seal at our Marine Rescue Centre has been given a second chance after horrific injuries. The seal, named Helena by her rescuers, was brought into the rescue centre at the end of July. She had been caught in some ‘ghost’ fishing gear and has multiple wounds. … Continued

We are very lucky to live in an area which is home to a vast array of wildlife including one of the largest seal colonies in the UK. This makes sightings and interaction with humans more likely, so here are a few tips to remember if you sea a seal in the wild. Seals are … Continued

This week two rescued seals have been released back into the North Sea after treatment at Blue Reef Tynemouth’s Marine Rescue Centre. The two seals, named Bruce and Gabrielle have been recovering from injuries for the last month and were finally well enough to be released back into the wild. Bruce was picked up locally, … Continued

The ocean is one of the most expansive and diverse places on earth. It’s one of our most valuable natural resources and it’s where 230,000 marine species call home. Unfortunately, despite its powerful expanses, the sea is not invincible – it’s being threatened by pollution from people on land, as well as by natural causes. … Continued

This week three grey seal pups have been released back into the wild from the rescue centre at Blue Reef Aquarium in Tynemouth. The three seals have spent the winter recovering from injuries in the purpose built rescue centre in Tynemouth. They all came in from beaches around the North East after calls from concerned … Continued

We are delighted to announce that we have joined Surfers Against Sewage in their Plastic Free Coastlines campaign. Surfers against Sewage are encouraging businesses to use less plastic with the ultimate goal to make our coastline plastic free. Tynemouth is the latest town hoping to achieve the ‘Plastic Free’ status with many businesses pledging to … Continued

Every winter hundreds of Grey Seal pups are born on the Farne Islands, off the coast of Northumberland. These adorable little pups are born with a thick coat of white fur and normally stay with their mother on the islands for up to a month. Last week the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) rescued … Continued

It’s grey seal pupping season and unfortunately that means that some of these pups will be coming into some danger. That is where the Marine Rescue Team at Blue Reef Aquarium comes into play. Grey seals give birth between September and December and can be spotted all around the coast of the UK; young pups … Continued