In celebration of World Oceans Day, Merlin Entertainments has released the Sea Life “Making Waves for our Oceans” Conservation and Wildlife Rehabilitation Report. This report details the collaborative efforts of its teams and partners to safeguard marine life throughout 2025.
The world’s oceans provide over half of the oxygen we breathe, influence the global climate, and sustain life on Earth. However, they face rising threats from climate change, pollution, overfishing, and habitat destruction.
Despite the substantial challenge and urgent need for action, the report offers hope by showcasing conservation efforts that restore ecosystems, safeguard species, and aid the recovery of marine life.
Rescue, restore, protect
In 2025, teams from 50 Sea Life aquariums contributed to 104 conservation projects worldwide, rescuing 683 animals and investing over 34,000 hours in conservation and wildlife rehabilitation.
Collaborating with 286 partners, including Sea Life’s charity partner, the Sea Life Trust, this initiative covers four continents, showcasing the strength of teamwork in tackling global environmental issues.
The Sea Life Trust significantly contributes to this effort by supporting conservation initiatives worldwide, running marine wildlife sanctuaries to safeguard vulnerable species, and rehabilitating rescued animals.
Central to Sea Life’s mission are three core conservation pillars, Rescue, Restore, and Protect, which are illustrated in the report through various projects conducted across its international network.
When it comes to rescue, Sea Life teams provide frontline support to animals in distress, often caused by human activity.
Teams from Sea Life Melbourne working on in-situ conservation projectsImage courtest of Sea Life Trust
In 2025, they rescued 94 marine turtles on the Sunshine Coast (Australia) affected by pollution, entanglement, and climate change. The year also saw efforts like a sperm whale rescue in Busan (South Korea) and seal rehabilitation in Blankenberge (Belgium) and Scarborough (UK).
Through expert care, many animals are released back into the wild, while some are provided sanctuary when release isn't possible.
Restoring habitats is essential for maintaining ocean health. Projects include seagrass restoration in Weymouth (UK), habitat clean-ups in Nagoya (Japan), and coral reef restoration in the United States and Germany.
These initiatives aim to rebuild biodiversity and reinforce ecosystems. Additionally, rewilding efforts have successfully bred and released nine threatened species, such as zebra sharks and seahorses in Sydney (Australia), to aid their population recovery.
Sea Life promotes long-term change through research, education, and advocacy. In 2025, the teams protected 37 threatened species, supported scientific research and policy efforts, and raised public awareness.
Together with Sea Life, the Sea Life Trust runs campaigns to address problems like plastic pollution, unsustainable fishing, and marine over-exploitation.
The impact of conservation
“Every day, our teams see first-hand the pressures facing our oceans – from pollution and climate change to habitat loss – and the impact this has on marine life," says Chris Brown, Merlin’s director of conservation, welfare and education.
"But we also see the difference that dedicated, long-term conservation can make. Whether restoring seagrass meadows, supporting coral reef recovery or rehabilitating vulnerable animals, our work is helping ecosystems begin to recover and thrive.
"What makes this progress possible is the passion and dedication of our expert teams around the world. Each aquarium has its own connection to local wildlife, and together they are championing meaningful action to Rescue, Restore and Protect – while inspiring millions of people to play their part in protecting our oceans.”
Sea Life team members getting hands-on with ocean conservationImage courtesy of Sea Life Trust
Across its worldwide network, Sea Life integrates exceptional animal welfare, scientific research, and engaging storytelling to motivate millions of visitors to engage with and protect the ocean.
In 2025, the teams also collected more than nine tonnes of trash from waterways, addressing a major threat to marine environments.
Rob Smith, chief operating officer at Merlin, adds: "Sea Life is something we are incredibly proud of at Merlin.
"As the largest brand in our global portfolio, it has grown into an impactful force for conservation – bringing together world-class animal care, scientific expertise and powerful storytelling to connect people with the ocean.
"This report reflects the dedication, passion and expertise of our teams and partners around the world, whose work is making a real difference every day. While we are encouraged by the progress we are seeing, we also recognise the scale of the challenge ahead.
"We remain committed to building on these foundations – strengthening partnerships, investing in innovation, and continuing to inspire people everywhere to help protect our oceans for the future.”
The 2025 achievements show significant progress, but the report emphasises that more work is needed. Ongoing collaboration, consistent conservation funding, and daily actions are crucial for ocean protection.
Together, Sea Life, the Sea Life Trust, and their international partners aim to keep working to ensure that the world’s oceans and their ecosystems remain healthy for future generations.
The Conservation and Wildlife Rehabilitation Report is available here.
In other recent news from Merlin Entertainments, The Lego Group completed its acquisition of 29 Lego Discovery Centres and Legoland Discovery Centres from the company in March 2026. Announced in September 2026, the acquisition includes 29 centres in nine countries. These attract around five million visitors every year.
