Stanley the Giant Grouper at uShaka Sea World in Durban Has Died After 20 Years

Stanley, the beloved giant grouper at uShaka Sea World in Durban, died over the weekend of 26 April 2026. The South African Association for Marine Biological Research confirmed her passing on Monday, 28 April. The brindle bass, which weighed approximately 185kg, had lived at the aquarium for nearly two decades and was estimated to be over 40 years old.

SAAMBR said Stanley’s appetite had been declining in the weeks before her death. She had rallied from similar dips before, but this time her health did not turn around. The aquarium’s animal health and curatorial teams had cared for her with dedication throughout her life at uShaka.

The queen of the tank

Stanley was not a fish you could overlook. She was bold enough to steal food straight from a ragged-tooth shark’s mouth. She arrived at uShaka Sea World in 2005 alongside her companion Deon, also a female brindle bass. Both fish were rescued by fishermen after they were found stranded in a drying pond during the St Lucia estuary drought. The fishermen who saved them lent their names to the pair.

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Deon passed away in 2023 from age-related conditions, leaving Stanley as the last of the duo. Her death now brings a chapter of uShaka Sea World’s history to a close. A mural of both fish, created by artist Giffy after Deon’s death, remains at the staff entrance as a tribute to both animals. A full post-mortem was conducted on Stanley, as it was with Deon, to help scientists better understand the biology and longevity of brindle bass.

See the announcement below:

Source: Briefly News