Aquarium of the Pacific | Aquarium Blogs | Reptiles
Even though our summer has winded down, the blue whales and other wildlife haven’t seemed to notice. The blue whales won’t be here for too much longer, but they’re still showing strong. On my trip out a few days ago I saw six blue whales and bottlenose dolphins! What a trip!
Working with the Program Animals gives me the opportunity to introduce our guests to a variety of really cool animals including birds, reptiles, and terrestrial mammals. Some of these types of animals - like Lola the sulfur crested cockatoo, Matches the bearded dragon, and Iggy the green iguana - are commonly kept as pets. I get approached by guests all the time asking where they could acquire such a pet, or telling me about the pets they already have. While I’m very happy there are folks out there interested in caring for animals, there are many things to take into consideration before you take on the responsibility of keeping any animal as a pet. Knowing a lot about the animal you intend to bring home is essential, as is taking care of the unique needs of your pet!
Earlier this year, fellow blogger and marine mammal volunteer Hugh introduced our readers to the Aquarium’s Program Animals. Just because we’re an Aquarium doesn’t mean you won’t find a few terrestrial animals here and there! Our Program Animals, made up of a group of reptiles, birds, and mammals, serve as animal ambassadors by helping us educate our guests about the importance of the relationships between the land and the ocean, as well as promoting habitat conservation on a global scale. Keep an eye out for Melissa, our Program Keeper, and her staff because chances are good that they will have some kind of critter out on the floor for you to meet and learn about. I recently joined the family of Program Animal volunteers, and I would like to share some wonderful information with our readers about one of my favorite program animals: Borrego, the California desert tortoise!
That is one of those popular questions our guests ask several times a week, and I’m always happy to point them in the right direction! Two olive Ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacae), Theo and Lou, reside in the Aquarium’s beautiful Tropical Pacific Gallery. Theo can often be seen cruising by our dive volunteers during the Tropical Reef Dive, while Lou can be frequently observed napping as you walk through the serene tropical tunnel. Helping out with the care of these magnificent creatures is one of the best parts of my aquarist volunteer days, so please read on to learn more about sea turtles!
I spent another day with the kindergarteners at Cesar Chavez Elementary School, with which the Aquarium of the Pacific has a partnership, helping Emily teach this month’s science lesson on eggs. We showed the children that chickens aren’t the only animals that lay eggs, and they were totally amazed when they saw how large a leatherback turtle grows, after being born from an egg that is roughly the size of a ping-pong ball.
