ISKANDAR PUTERI, 21 April 2021 – SEA LIFE Malaysia, LEGOLAND^® Malaysia Resort's LEGO®-themed marine sanctuary, has exchanged 20 of its newly hatched pot-bellied seahorse fry and 8 juveniles for Aquaria KLCC's freshwater fish, 2 striped carp and 10 hampala barb. This is the first of many planned exchanges that will foster a relationship of shared knowledge, care, and expertise on marine life and conservation between the two sanctuaries.

"With marine conservation at the heart of our organization, this exchange is part of SEA LIFE Malaysia's larger efforts to protect aquatic life for future generations. Our Breed, Rescue, and Protect Program and exchanges like this help us play a meaningful role within the marine conservation ecosystem. We look forward to more animal exchanges with marine sanctuaries in the region in the future. We are always open to forming partnerships with reputable and sustainable organisations and looking for new ways to highlight more of the many interesting and wonderful creatures of the ocean to the public”, said Kristian Griffin, Manager at SEA LIFE Malaysia.

The exchange is part of a crucial effort from the two sanctuaries to find sustainable methods to maintain marine population ecosystems. Both the seahorses and carps that were bred and exchanged are facing extinction in the wild due to overfishing and pollution of their natural habitats.

SEA LIFE Malaysia's pot-bellied seahorses are bred under the sanctuary's Breed, Rescue, and Protect (BRP) Program, a global program run throughout SEA LIFE’s across the globe. The program aims to protect the ocean for future generations by conserving the productive habitat, rehabilitating endangered aquatic life, and educating the next generation about the oceans' ecosystems. SEA LIFE Malaysia has successfully bred around 50 Pot-bellied seahorses, 2 Blue Spotted Rays and 14 Epaulette sharks since it opened in May 2019.

"These exchanges will form the basis for the sharing of knowledge, care, and expertise between our marine sanctuaries and aquariums around the region. With the addition of these marine animals, visitors at both sanctuaries will be able to appreciate Malaysia's thriving underwater ecosystem," said Andrew Lee, Curator at Aquaria KLCC.

Kristian futher elaborated “Marine conservation is just one of the many pillars that SEA LIFE Malaysia feels strongly about. In addition to driving conservation, we strive to build a love for the ocean and all aquatic life by housing a rich array of marine species in our aquarium for our guests to have upclose experiences with. Our latest resident is the Giant Pacific Octopus which has been one of the most requested animals from our guests since our opening. We hope our guests look froward to meeting and learning about its interesting and unique characteristics”.

For the latest update on promotion and activities, stay connected with LEGOLAND^® Malaysia Resort via Facebook and Instagram. For more information on SEA LIFE Malaysia and their Breed, Rescue, and Protect (BRP) initiative, you can visit their website at: https://www.legoland.com.my/explore/sea-life-aquarium/sea-life-trust/.

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For media enquiries, please contact:

Cheng Sing Ying
LEGOLAND^® Malaysia Resort | Merlin Entertainments Group
Tel: +6 07 597 8829
Cheng.SingYing@legoland.my

Danielle Lionel / Sophia Koay
Archetype Malaysia
Tel: +6 03 2282 2152
legoland@archetype.co

About LEGOLAND® Malaysia Resort

LEGOLAND® Malaysia Resort brings together a LEGOLAND Theme park, Water Park Hotel and SEA LIFE in one LEGO® themed location. It is the ideal family holiday destination with more than 70 hands-on rides, slides, shows and attractions. It is the first of its kind in Asia that offers comprehensive adventure, education and fun for either an action-packed day trip or a short break destination ideal for families with kids aged 2 to 12 years old.

The Theme Park is divided into eight themed areas containing thrilling rides, exciting LEGO® workshops, awe-inspiring Miniland where Asia’s interesting landscapes, countries and landmarks are recreated in miniature made with more than 30 million LEGO bricks. The Water Park is the largest LEGOLAND® Water Park in Asia which features 20 unique slides, waves, wade pools, interactive water-play structure and Build-A-Raft River.

LEGOLAND® Hotel Malaysia is the first LEGO® themed hotel in Asia. Choose your preferred theme room at a hotel all equipped with LEGO® theming elements, giving you choices to be trained like a NINJA, playing pirate, commanding a Kingdom or embarking on an adventure option. All rooms include a king- sized bed for parents and a separate private sleeping area for 3 kids. Participate in our in-room treasure hunt activity and stand a chance to win cool LEGO® gifts.

SEA LIFE is the world’s largest international aquarium brand with more than 50 outlets in the world and it is the latest addition to LEGOLAND® Malaysia Resort. This attraction will immerse all guests in an intimate and interactive journey underneath the waves. All visitors will have chance to enjoy up-close experiences with sea creatures and be inspired to learn more about our blue planet’s invaluable natural marine assets through magical storytelling, interactive displays and hands-on encounters. SEA LIFE Malaysia has more than 25 display tanks in 11 habitat zones featuring 13,000 amazing sea creatures. The Malaysian Rainforest is one of the unique exhibit zones featuring local creatures in Malaysia. Don't miss this special zone where you can never find it in other SEA LIFE attractions.

About Merlin Entertainments

MERLIN ENTERTAINMENTS is the leading name in location-based, family entertainment. Europe’s Number 1 and the world’s second-largest visitor attraction operator, Merlin now operates more than 130 attractions, 20 hotels and 6 holiday villages in 25 countries and across 4 continents. The company aims to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences to its almost 67 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and local brands, and the commitment and passion of its managers and 28,000 employees (peak season). Visit www.merlinentertainments.biz for more information.