News

uShaka Sea World’s Gabrielle Harris Awarded

Published

10 years ago

22 June 2016

Durbanite

uShaka Sea World’s Gabrielle Harris, the Curator of Animal Behaviour and Guest Experience at uShaka Sea World, epitomises an excellent animal keeper. She is passionate about her animals and has dedicated her life to their care and display. This passion for animals is equalled by her passion for conservation communication that she achieves through the daily presentations at uShaka Marine World’s Sea World.

As the daughter of a veterinarian practicing in Nelspruit, Harris was born into the animal world and grew up surrounded by nature and animals of all shapes and sizes. After finishing school she completed her BA at UKZN and started working at Sea World in 1990.

According to SAAMBR, Harris is the most experienced marine mammal trainer in South Africa and oversaw the move of the animals from the old Sea World to the new uShaka Marine World facility – a task which took incredible patience and nerves of steel.

The aim of uShaka Sea World is to inspire people to care for the oceans and Harris is ideally placed to inspire the Sea World visitors to care for our ocean environment.

Not only does Harris inspire visitors from all over Southern Africa and beyond our borders, but she is an inspiration to her colleagues and friends as well.

“I did not know what being in a relationship with an animal meant until I watched Gabby working with the dolphins,” said her long-time colleague, Arenea Becker. “Over the years she has mentored and encouraged many mammal behaviourists, some of whom have gone on to have successful careers around the world,” she added.

Harris was one of the founders of the Animal Keepers of Africa (AKA) and it is largely thanks to her energy and commitment that this group is still running. She is passionate about animal behaviour management and is committed to sharing this through training courses and the AKA.

Adding to her achievements, Harris also created the Penguin Promises Campaign – a campaign that is currently running both nationally and internationally under the auspices of PAAZA and SAAMBR.

With Harris not only being inspirational in South Africa, but also having claimed respect throughout the world for her knowledge of animal behaviour, she is indeed a worthy recipient of the 2016 PAAZA Keeper of the Year award.

Author: Durbanite

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Businesses

Barkies: Homemade Pet Treats

Published

1 month ago

9 December 2025

Shelley

Freshness You Can Trust, Impact You Can See! 🐾
Looking for treats that are genuinely good for your furry (or hoofed!) family members?

Welcome to Barkies—where every treat is baked with love, fresh ingredients, and a commitment to animal welfare.

We believe in complete transparency. Our treats are always homemmade with fresh, natural ingredients, and we are proud to tell you exactly what goes into every single bite.

✨ Year-End Combo Special: Spoil Your Pup! ✨
To celebrate the year, we’re making it easy to spoil your dog with the best of Barkies:

Item Details
12 Pupcakes Choose your dog’s favourite flavour!
500g Fresh Dog Treats Choose your flavour!
Combo Price R220

This is the perfect package for holiday gatherings, puppy parties, or just showing extra love!

🌍 Treats with a Heart
We’re not just about delicious treats; we’re about giving back. Barkies donates 20% of every single sale to incredible animal charities right here in Durban. When you buy from us, you’re directly helping local animals in need.

🥕 Simple, Delicious & Safe
Our treats are simple but delicious and contain no nasty preservatives. Please store all Barkies products in the fridge or freezer to keep them fresh.

We make treats for dogs, cats, and horses!

🎉 BARKIES YEAR-END COMBO IS ON! 🎉

Get 12 Pupcakes + 500g Dog Treats (Flavours of your choice) for R220!

✅ Homemade, Fresh & Natural
✅ Treats for Dogs, Cats & Horses
✅ 20% Donated to Durban Animal Charities!

ORDER NOW: WhatsApp Bianca on 076 190 0442 (Collection or Delivery available)

Author: Shelley

Businesses

Playtime Rentals: Rent. Play. Repeat.

Published

4 months ago

6 October 2025

Shelley

Tired of spending a fortune on toys your kids play with for five minutes, only for them to get bored? We get it! That’s exactly why Playtime Rentals was born, a smarter, more affordable way to keep playtime fun, fresh, and exciting for your little ones.

Based in Ballito and serving families from Ballito to Durban North, we provide premium, sanitized toys that you can rent instead of buy.

What We Offer:

Playtime Rentals provides a wide range of high-quality toys for boys and girls aged 3 to 7 years.

From:
– Pretend-play sets for little imaginations
– Balance bikes and ride-ons for active adventures
– Party rentals like bubble machines & toddler coasters

We’ve got fun covered, without the clutter or cost of constantly buying new toys.

How It Works:

✔ Browse our toy catalogue on WhatsApp or download it from our website
✔ Book your toys by completing the short booking form & submitting documents
✔ Pay & Play. Make full payment + refundable damages deposit
✔ Collect in Ballito or book delivery straight to your door
Then… play, return, repeat. It’s really that simple!

Why Parents love Playtime Rentals:
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– Encourage sustainable play (less waste, more fun!)
– Keep playtime exciting with something new each month

With Playtime Rentals, your kids enjoy endless variety, and you enjoy less stress and more savings.

Check them out here:
www.playtimerentals.co.za