Volunteering | Mammals
Thursday, May 08, 2008
The Seal that Rescued a Rescuer | Hugh 
I’ve been asked by visitors to the Aquarium what my favorite pinniped is. Most of them expect my answer to be either the California sea lion (like Miller) or the Harbor seal (like Ellie) because of how much I work and play with these critters. They are surprised when I tell them that the Elephant seal is actually my favorite. This is the story of how a young elephant seal once saved this volunteer from a mauling by a pack of wild animals.
Volunteering | Mammals
Thursday, April 10, 2008
How to Train a Sea Lion (and a Rabbit) | Hugh
Just because you don’t have a handy sea lion around doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun training animals. Any critter can be trained as long as you know what makes it happy!
Conservation | Volunteering | Fish | Invertebrates | Mammals
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
ODE TO A BOX OF SQUID | Hugh
“Calamari in my hand—-
Fancy name bestowed by man.
Kids will eat it with a bib—-
To a seal it’s just a squid.”
The story of Loligo opalescens—-aka Calamari or Market Squid
Animal Updates | Mammals | Volunteering
Monday, March 24, 2008
Harpo & Milo Have Arrived in the Seal & Sea Lion Habitat! | Staci
It’s been about a month since my last update on Harpo and Milo, our two youngest California sea lions. It’s my pleasure to report that this past Thursday, March 20, these two frisky pinnipeds joined the rest of our flippered family in the 211,000 gallon Seal and Sea Lion Habitat and now you can come and welcome them, too!
Conservation | Birds | Mammals | Reptiles
Monday, March 17, 2008
Up Close and Personal-The Program Animals | Hugh
Lola is a cockatoo. How do I know this? Because Lola told me that he was. When program keeper Melissa had the bird on her arm and asked Lola “What are you?” Lola replied “COCKTOO!” Lola is one of the many program animals that our staff takes around the aquarium to interact with guests.
Conservation | Education | Mammals
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Some Things You ‘Otter’ Know! | Staci
They’re undeniably entertaining, extremely resourceful, and have the densest fur of any animal on the planet! What animal am I talking about? Why, the sea otter (Enhydra lutris), of course!
Diving | Volunteering | Mammals
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
SWIMMING WITH SEA LIONS | Hugh
Some of my fondest memories of volunteering at the Aquarium of the Pacific come from the impromptu enrichment swims that we use to do in the Seal and Sea Lion Exhibit. I remember floating in the water nose to nose with a sea lion only inches away from my mask as we both lazily bobbed just under the surface with the critter looking upon me with a gaze of familiarity that only comes from years of working with an animal.
Animal Updates | Mammals | Conservation | Volunteering
Monday, February 25, 2008
Behind-the-Scenes Sea Lion Update & Sustainable Seafood Day | Staci
Milo and Harpo are still working hard with their trainers on new behaviors and living it up in their home behind-the-scenes.
Volunteering | Birds | Mammals | Sharks | Turtles
Thursday, February 14, 2008
HUGH’S SATURDAY WITH THE CRITTERS | Hugh
For those of you who wonder what I actually do during my Saturday marine mammal shift at the Aquarium of the Pacific, this week’s blog is a rundown of my day.
Whale Watching | Mammals
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Whale Watching in Cabo San Lucas! | Staci
It’s only February, but it’s been a pretty exciting year so far. The beginning of the month was particularly rousing, as I found myself on a cruise around the Mexican Riviera, constantly keeping an eye out for marine animals! I took every single opportunity offered to me to get out on the water, as well as in the water. It was just off the coast of Cabo San Lucas that our snorkeling trip turned into an unexpected, yet welcome, whale-watching fiesta!
