There are some 2 600 species of fish in our seas including 270 families of fishes represented in South Africa, equivalent to 83% of all marine fish families known. Strikingly, up to 13% are endemic, ranking amongst the highest anywhere else in the world.

World Fisheries Day is celebrated every year on the 21st of November to highlight the importance of fish stocks in our oceans. Fishing provides food and jobs for people and in return boosts a country's economy. 

October is national Marine Month. This month is dedicated to celebrating our marine life. Did you know that our oceans produce more oxygen than the Amazon rainforest? They control our climate and give us food. Discover how we can protect our marine ecosystems for the health of the planet – and ourselves.

The world is made up of a variety of plants and animals, and we call the variety of life on Earth biodiversity. These make up the web of life, where each living thing depends on the other for survival.

South African turtles, terrapins and tortoises. South Africa has five of the seven kinds of sea turtles occurring in its coastal and off-shore waters.

Biological Conservation 233:61-72. K.A. Tolley, J. Weeber, B. Maritz, L. Verburgt, M.F. Bates, W. Conradie, M.D. Hofmeyr, A.A. Turner, J.M. da Silva and G.J. Alexander. 2019.

Ecology and Evolution, 7: 320–330. Van Wyk, A.M., Dalton, D.L., Hoban, S., Bruford, M.W., Russo, I-R.M., Birss, C., Grobler, P., van Vuuren, B.J. and Kotzé, A. 2017.

Do you know why the Western Cape's biodiversity is so special? Can you name the four kingdoms living things can be divided up into? Take our parent and teacher quiz today to see how much you know about this fascinating kingdom.

Listen to these fun radio clips as kids interview a variety of trees on curriculum related topics in the 2020 and 2022 Arbor Day Interview with a Tree Competition. There are so many interesting things to learn about trees. Give it a try!