News

Learn what our 3 playful youngsters have been up to so far this summer!

Want to know what the latest happenings are at Oceans of Fun?  Check out our latest newsletter to learn how our pups Talise & Nalu are doing, what it takes to be a marine mammal trainer and more!

Our data collection is well underway!  With 108 pups collected, assessed and released today so far we are gaining valuable information regarding pup growth rates and survivability.  One of our objectives is to recollect pups over multiple months and we have had great success!  The information we have gained will assist us in learning about life in the wild as well as within our collections.

In 2012 Oceans of Fun joined in a collaboration with the Chicago Zoological Society, Saint Louis Zoo, Kansas City Zoo and the Punta San Juan Project of the Center for Environmental Sustainability at Cayetano Heredia University to collect baseline data assisting in evaluating the South American sea lion and Peruvian fur seal populations in Punta San Juan.
This year we are expanding our research project to study pup growth and development with the goal of correlating and comparing data obtained in both wild and captive animals.

Nalu is the newest member to Oceans of Fun, and boy does he have a story to tell!!

She spends her days romping through our vast 18-foot main pool with all of her pool mates. See for yourself in this video.

It goes without saying that our two sea lion pups have grown in leaps and bounds this summer! Talise, now 5 months old, always seems to find something new to investigate. Colby, who is now over 1 year old, is continuing to progress in his formal training!

During her time out in our main pool, Talise wastes no time in finding lots of new things to explore!  Read all about her adventures!

After gaining comfort in our 6-foot holding pools, Talise has ventured into a new and exciting place - the main pool!! This vast 18-foot deep pool provides Talise with lots of opportunity for adventure!

Talise is growing quickly!  This past week she has reached the milestone of learning to swim in one of our pools!

Ben Lorber from WISN-TV Channel 12 came out to to showcase Ocean's of Fun newest family member, Talise!  We can't thank him enough for capturing such precious moments of Talise's first weeks!

We have a new family member! Early on Wednesday morning, April 17, 2013 at 12:06am Sonoma, a 12 year old female California sea lion gave birth to her first pup at Oceans of Fun. The female pup came into the world at 12:06am weighing 17 pounds and measuring 72 cm in length.

I am writing this final entry on my way back to the United States.  With the magnificent sights and sounds of Punta San Juan still fresh in my mind, I continue to be inspired by the team of people that came together over these past 12 days and thankful for their dedication and commitment to this project.

We have moved to the beaches with nurseries these last 2 days. The fur seals are giving birth right now and our focus is on collecting newborns 1-2 days old along with moms for health assessments.

The last two days have been busy and full of wildlife experiences. Everywhere we look we are surrounded by incredible beautiful animals and scenery.

The team arrives!  Over the last day, a team of 12 of us gathered together in Lima Peru and began preparations to head South to Punta San Juan.

One year ago I sat in a conference meeting room and listened intently as Rita Vondra of the Chicago Zoological Society presented on a research project currently underway and needing assisted funding in Punta San Juan.

Oceans of Fun has joined in partnership with the Chicago Zoological Society in studying the populations of South American sea lions and the endangered South American fur seals in the Punta San Juan (PSJ) Marine Protected Area.