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Ocean Connections marine mammal interactions. About Us: Ocean Connections is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is dedicated to inspiring conservation awareness and public action for our world's ocean through education.  We are committed to providing exceptional welfare to the animals that call us home and fostering empathy for wildlife and nature through various learning opportunities.  With locations in Florida, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and South Carolina, our "touch the heart, teach the mind" philosophy comes to life through exciting, educational, and interacative experiences.  From community outreach to small-group encounters, there's something for everyone! We hope that you have the opportunity to join us and experience the wonder of widlife up close. The opportunity to interact with our flippered, furry, and feathered family awaits you! Hershey Schedule: Seal & Sea Lion Demonstrations Offered Daily at 11:30, 1:00, 2:30, and 4:30p.m. Seal & Sea Lion Feedings and Photo Sessions: Offered Daily at 11:30, 1:00, 2:30, and 4:30p.m. Ocean Encounter: Touch & Feed: Offered Daily. Check-in begins at 3:45. Learn More. Myrtle Beach Schedule: Showtimes Vary: For Ticketing & Show Information click here. Animal Encounter: Offered Daily Learn More by clicking here. Panama City Beach Schedule: Showtimes Vary: For Ticketing & Show Information click here. Animal Encounter: Offered Daily Learn More by clicking here. Pigeon Forge Schedule: Showtimes Vary: For Ticketing & Show Information click here. Animal Encounter: Offered Daily Learn More by clicking here.      

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 You Can Make A Difference! Due to an extremely high number of sea lion pup strandings on the coast of California this year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has declared an Unusual Mortality Event (UME).  The Marine Mammal Protection Act, established in 1972, states that a UME is “a stranding that is unexpected; involves a significant die-off of any marine mammal population; and demands immediate response.” Ocean Connections is part of AMMPA’s team of accredited facilities that is ready to step up and assist with rescue and rehabilitation efforts of stranded California sea lion pups. All donations will go directly towards providing fish as well as the rehabilitation efforts, animals care and medical issues associated with UMEs.  Your donations will go directly to the National Marine Mammal Foundation, who will use the money to help rehabilitate the pups.  Help get these pups back on their flippers and into their ocean home! Click here to learn more about the California sea lion pup strandings.  

Ocean Connections in Hershey, PA gives your children the ultimate camp experience. Learn about our unique kids educational programs and sign up today.

Kids Educational Programs & Camps in Milwaukee, WI for Ages 10-12.

Meet Talise!   Female California sea lion pup Born April 17, 2013 Daughter to Sonoma Welcome Talise, the littlest member of the Ocean Connections family! Born on April 17, 2013 to her mother Sonoma, it is already apparent that this little one is full of energy! At birth, Talise weighed in at 17 pounds! Since Talise is Sonoma’s first pup, building the initial bond between mother and pup proved to be a bit of a challenge in the beginning. But with the help of the trainers at Ocean Connections, Sonoma and Talise have been able to establish a strong bond. Sonoma and Talise are often heard vocalizing back and forth throughout the day and night; these vocalizations are the building blocks of a strong bond. In the wild, mother and pup will vocalize to each other in order to find each other among the hundreds of sea lions scattered along the beaches. As a growing pup, Talise’s days are full of nursing, investigating her surroundings, and of course sleeping. She is growing quickly and her personality is beginning to shine through. Strong and feisty, Talise is sure to keep her trainers on their toes as she continues to grow and learn! Click here to follow Talise’s story!

This year is proving to be a struggle, yet again, for California sea lion pups out in the wild. From January to Late-April 2015 alone, 2,700 pups stranded themselves along the California coast spanning from Santa Barbara to San Diego. This record breaking number is 20 times the average number of strandings and has already exceeded the total number of pups stranded in 2013 and in 2014, and we expect to continue to see stranding through the beginning of June. Stranding centers, such as the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, CA. are taking in as many pups as possible in hopes of rehabilitating them and releasing them back to the wild. The pups are coming into the centers extremely dehydrated, malnourished and most of them are extremely underweight for their age. The rescue centers are working around the clock to hydrate these animals and get them to the point where they are eating fish on their own. Once a pup has gained enough weight and appears to have no other medical conditions, it is released back to the ocean. Due to this dangerously high number of strandings, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has officially declared an Unusual Mortality Event (UME).  A UME was also declared in 2013, when a total of almost 1,300 stranding occured. The Maine Mammal Protection Act, established in 1972, states that a UME is “a stranding that is unexpected; involves a significant die-off of any marine mammal population; and demands immediate response.” Due to the increasing amounts of UMEs over the past several years, efforts to study carcasses and live stranded animals have increased dramatically. Through studying these strandings, researchers and facilities are able to gain a better understanding of pollution threats and stressors, as well as over all ocean health. These stranding are believed to be caused due to warming ocean temperatures.  The increase in water temperature results in prey fish having to move to deeper colder waters, which means mothers have to go deeper into the ocean for longer periods of time.  It also means that the mothers may not be producing enough milk for their pups.  Pups are of weaning age between 8 and 12 months, which is when they would typically begin  to prey on small bait fish. The pups who are not receiving the proper nutrition from their mothers, are trying to wean too soon; however,  they do not have the skill set needed to catch fish nor is the fish they would be able to eat present in large enough quantities to properly nourish the pups. The Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA) is coordinating a support system of accredited facilities for the current UME and future UMEs. AMMPA is developing the ability to be a resource of communities the are able to react and respond to UMEs in order to assist with animal rescue, rehabilitation, release, and research when the need arises.  Ocean Connections is not only working to raise funds to help rehabilitate these pups, but we will also be sending some of our staff down to assist in caring for the hundreds of animals continuing to strand. Sources Marine Mammal Center: www.marinemammalcenter.org   National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): www.noaa.gov   National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) www.nmfs.noaa.gov Images provided by the National Marine Mammal Foundation www.nmmf.org