Animal Updates | Birds | Penguins | Volunteering
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Bubbling with Penguin Enrichment Ideas | Hugh 
Penguins checking out soap bubbles
Just like with our marine mammals the staff at the Aquarium of the Pacific likes to come up with ideas to keep our penguins mentally stimulated or as I like to put it, entertained. This week I’d like to share some images of an enrichment session that we recently gave our Magellanic Penguins. One that was just bubbling with excitement for the penguins.
Animal Updates | Penguins | Volunteering
Thursday, June 07, 2012
A Penguin Who Tweets | Hugh
Avery Tweets from June Keyes
One of my favorite penguins of the group known as the “Brazilians” has a new hobby. Since the June Keyes Exhibit opened Avery the Magellanic Penguin has gone up into the cloud so to speak and set up his own Twitter account. This week I’d like to share a few of his tweets.
Animal Updates | Mammals | Conservation | Whale Watching
Friday, June 01, 2012
The Summer Interns Have Arrived! | Kera
And we’re just waiting on the blues to arrive too!
Three times a year I go through many applications trying to figure out how I’m going to decide which interns to bring on for out Photo ID internship. It’s no easy task and I can tell you there are MANY college students and graduates that truly care about the Earth. As I have to do each time, I’ve narrowed it down to four interns that have just joined the Aquarium team to help protect blue whales. Read on to meet the new interns and find out what their summer will look like!
Animal Updates | Birds | Penguins | Volunteering
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Penguins from Ipanema | Hugh
Hundreds of their kindred comrades had succumbed to changes in their environment that they could not adapt in time to. Far from their normal range sick and dying Magellanic Penguins were washing ashore on Brazilian beaches better known in song than for black and white flightless aquatic birds. To do its part in trying to help these forlorn avians the Aquarium of the Pacific took in a small group of these distressed penguins to give them medical treatment and a home. Yet despite their tragic back story these “Brazilians” and their antics have gotten this particular aquarium volunteer smiling and humming “The Penguin from Ipanema” during his Saturday encounters with them.
Animal Updates | Birds | Mammals
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Eight Hours in a Cargo Van with Four Penguins and an Otter | Claire
Aquarium staff members transported some of the Magellanic Penguins and Betty the otter pup all in one cargo van on a road trip from the Bay Area to Long Beach.
Animal Updates | Mammals | Whale Watching
Friday, May 18, 2012
Orcas Gave Us a Once in a Lifetime Sight! | Kera
And I'd like to introduce a new voice to the whale watching blogs
There’s been quite a bit of hype in Long Beach around this year’s whale watching season and for good reason! We’ve had so many sightings of gray whales and orcas down here it’s unbelievable. Orcas are normally a very rare occurrence but have been making frequent appearances beginning in January. On May 9, the orcas gave us a once-in-a-lifetime sight. Read on to find out what our last two weeks have looked like on the water.
Animal Updates | Mammals | Volunteering
Thursday, May 10, 2012
IT’S A GIRL! Newborn Harbor Seal Pup | Hugh
Shelby the harbor seal gives birth
When I first started as a marine mammal volunteer at the Aquarium a few weeks before its grand opening in 1998, a young female harbor seal named Shelby was one of the first animals I was introduced to. I had the joy of spending the next fourteen years watching her grow up to become a beautiful adult seal. A couple of weeks ago, just a few days after her sweet sixteen birthday, Shelby the harbor seal gave birth to a bouncing baby seal!
Animal Updates | Mammals | Volunteering
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Otter 581 | Hugh
Another orphan baby sea otter finds a home in Long Beach
Not yet named but temporarily known by her case number, Otter 581 arrived at the Aquarium of the Pacific a few weeks ago. In this week’s blog I’d like to share a few images of her during her first full day at the Aquarium of the Pacific.
Animal Updates | Mammals | Conservation | Whale Watching
Thursday, April 05, 2012
You Know It’s Springtime on the Water When… | Kera
Springtime is always an interesting time on the whale watching boats. It can be some of the most active months. For example, it’s getting to the end of gray whale season, this is a time when some humpbacks move through the area, and some of the first blue whales typically show up. Read on to find out how much of this we’ve seen so far!
Animal Updates | Mammals | Volunteering
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Sea Lions in the Rain | Hugh
No matter how exhausting my work week may have been I always find myself revitalized by my Saturday volunteer shift at the Aquarium of the Pacific. Spending time with the critters there always fills me with energy and joy, even in the pouring rain.
