This May half term, one of the UK’s most loved sea turtles is shell-elebrating a monumental milestone.
National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham’s ‘King of the Ocean Tunnel’, Mo, is celebrating his 50th birthday on World Turtle Day, May 23, and guests are invited to dive into a week of fin-tastic celebrations.
To o-fish-ally kick start the World Turtle Day celebrations and Mo’s birthday, guests can visit National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham to sign Mo’s special birthday card. Dive into a birthday bash packed with underwater fun for all of the family, including turtle-themed games in Mo’s party room, a fin-tastic birthday disco, and even a special birthday hat on arrival.
Plus, there’s an extra reason to celebrate for young ocean fans, guests under 12 who are also celebrating their birthday on World Turtle Day, May 23, can enjoy free entry to the attraction.
The team of in-house animal care specialists are marking the occasion with a bespoke ‘cake’ fit for a turtle.
Forget Victoria sponge, red velvet and chocolate fudge, Mo’s turtle-y delicious creation is made up of all his favourite foods including carrots, kale, broccoli and cabbage.
Mo’s ‘cake’ is a form of food-based enrichment, designed to encourage natural foraging and exploration. He’s a herbivore, eating only broccoli, lettuce, cabbage and more so this really is the creme-de-la-crème of turtle confectionery whilst giving him something interesting to investigate.
Leah Todd, animal care specialist at National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham, said: “Mo is a big character, calm, confident, and very much aware that he’s the star of the Ocean Tunnel.
“He’s a firm favourite amongst guests, with many coming back year on year to see him. He loves snoozing under the tunnel and scratching his belly on the corals. He’s definitely been getting into the birthday spirit and we can’t wait to welcome guests to what is set to be a brilliant birthday celebration this May half term.”
From May 23 to June 11, guests can follow a turtley-awesome interactive activity trail and discover more about these magnificent sea creatures – from the threats they face and the stages of their lifecycle, to how they’ve evolved over time and what they love to eat.
Included in standard entry tickets from £19, with turtle-themed talks, interactive activities and plenty of surprises along the way.
Plus, for even more family fun in the Midlands, use a Multi-Attraction Ticket to save up to 43% by visiting another Midlands Merlin Entertainments attraction within 90 days.