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Always dedicated to the advancement of the welfare and care of the marine mammals in our care, we are committed to growing as animal care professionals. Though Oceans of Fun has been a leader in pinniped care for the past 26 years, we are always eager to continue to learn more about the amazing animals we work with.  This past month, several members of our staff were able to attend conferences for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and the International Marine Animal Trainers’ Association (IMATA). These conferences are always an opportune time to grow and continue to excel as leaders in pinniped care and training.   Earlier this month, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) held their annual conference at Utah’s Hogle Zoo. AZA brings together animal care managers who are committed to exceptional animal welfare from around the world. Keynote speakers Dr. M Sanjayan of Conservation International and Chris Fischer of Ocearch did a wonderful job highlighting the importance of collaboration among zoos, aquariums, researchers and conversationalist worldwide. Individually, we can make a difference in animals’ lives, but collectively we can make a difference in the world by saving species, educating public, and tackling critical conservation crisis. One current crisis is the unusual mortality event for California sea lions occurring on the western coast. Oceans of Fun is doing their part to help with several stranded pups by providing them with permanent homes.    This past week, several lucky trainers from Oceans of Fun were able to attend the 43rd Annual IMATA Conference for the hosted by Dolphin Cay Atlantis in the Bahamas. Members from the animal training community worldwide gathered to share and collaborate. Animal care professionals from all over the world came together. This years’ conference totaled 352 attendees representing 33 countries and 131 organizations.   Members of our training staff attend both conferences annually. Not only are they fantastic networking events, but also a learning opportunity for our trainers. Daily activities include workshops, formal presentations, and discussions covering conservation, education, research, and animal care. Both are exemplary organizations that connect trainers, veterinarians, educators, and students pursuing careers in the field of zoo and aquarium science.    Oceans of Fun strives to provide mentorship to students by offering intern and volunteer opportunities at our facilities. IMATA holds an annual job fair at their conference. Job fairs are a great way for interested applicants to learn more about these positions and for current trainers to meet the future leaders of our field.    Details on memberships for AZA and IMATA can be found on their websites.   

The summer may be over, but our fall season is just beginning! The change of the season marks an exciting time for staff and animals. There is more time to focus on training new behaviors and, of course, we are excited to be able to offer meet and greets! Meet and greets are a great opportunity for zoo patrons to see and interact with our animals in an up close and personal setting. As a guest, you will enjoy a brief educational presentation featuring our seals and sea lions and then families will get to come down as groups for animal interactions! A trainer will teach you and your family several hand signals to ask our flippered friend and assist you in feeding them fresh fish! This exciting program is currently offered most weekdays, pending weather and animal behavior. Guests interested in attending a Meet & Greet should visit our Sea Lion Shoppe located outside our stadium for the daily schedule and to sign up for the program. Participation is limited to 25 guests and offered on a first come, first serve basis. Registration is $5 before tax per individual. Children ages 2 and under are free of charge. Participants must be 4 years or older to feed the animals. Photography and video recording are not allowed during the program – optional posed photos are available with one of our animals following each program for an additional cost. 

Jackie Share is the receipient of this quater's Tremendous Trainer Award.  Jackie is a Trainer 1 at Oceans of Fun and heads up our Hersheypark facility in Hershey, PA.  Jackie exudes all characteristics of a tremendous trainer on a daily basis! She continues to grow in her training and animal care skills, and strives to help her team members grow as well.  She always puts the animals' needs first, and her passion for the animals under her care is obvious.  We sat down with Jackie to learn more about her life as a trainer! When did you begin at Oceans of Fun? I started as an intern in the summer of 2006, and throughout college I volunteered at the facility whenever I was in town. Prior to working as a trainer at Oceans of Fun, I gained additional experience working at Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park in Florida. Then in 2009, I was hired on as a trainer at Oceans of Fun and have been going out to Hershey, PA in the summers and coming back to Milwaukee, WI every winter. In 2015, HersheyPark became a facility we stayed at all year long! What inspired you to work with marine mammals? I was inspired, like so many others, as a young girl at SeaWorld. My dad and I went to the Shamu show and I was amazed at how obvious the relationship between the orcas and trainers were. I was so fascinated by the presentation I completely tuned out my dad who was trying to have a conversation with me. What is your favorite part of your day at Oceans of Fun? My favorite part of my day is having training sessions that really focus on relationship building. Now that I have worked with the animals for 5 years, my relationship with them has clearly developed and this has allowed for more creativity in my training sessions. Every animal has a different personality, which means they have fun and learn in different ways. I’ve been very fortunate to develop a close relationship with such remarkable animal ambassadors. What makes our Hersheypark location so special? How is it different from the Milwaukee location? What makes Hersheypark so special and different from Milwaukee is the audiences that we are able to reach. At the Milwaukee County Zoo, the guests come to learn and see animals throughout their day. At Hersheypark, the guests mostly come to ride the thrilling roller coasters. Though the park is filled with great food, rides and entertainment shows, our show is the only one with animals, and we continue to have the highest attendance of any theatre. In Hershey, our guests only expect to be entertained, not knowing that when they walk out of our the gates, they will also be educated and inspired. The children that come speak to us following the shows are so motivated to want to know how to help these animals out in the wild. As a trainer, we spend a great amount of time making sure our animals have the best and most enriching life, but I have learned that when I am able to spend significant time speaking with guests and answering their questions, they’re able to walk away with an even greater experience. What are 3 of the most important characteristics needed to be a successful marine mammal trainer? 1.      Dedication- While it is very rewarding to work closely with animals, it also requires hard work, long hours and a high level of commitment. When working with animals, their needs always come first, so this “job” is really more of a lifestyle. The effort put in is definitely worthwhile to see how we can positively affect our animals’ lives. 2.      Teamwork- When working in such a dynamic field, having support from your fellow co-workers is invaluable. With so much to accomplish each day, having a team that communicates effectively and compliments each other well means we can achieve so much more than one single person would be able to. 3.      Being personable - Public Education is such a pivotal part of what we do with our animals on a daily basis. In order to have the most meaningful impact on our guests it is important to be approachable and excited to share knowledge about the marine mammal field. One of the most rewarding aspects of working with these animals, is the opportunity to inspire people of all ages to protect wildlife and the environment. What is one of the most important lessons you have learned at Oceans of Fun about working with animals? One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is to always train proactively and even over-train. Husbandry care is such an important part of what we do in caring for these animals, as it allows them to participate in their own health care. This means that we are able to provide our animals with the highest standards of care. If an animal needs a medical procedure, they already have the trust and confidence to accomplish the goal voluntarily. It has been a very rewarding experience to be involved with some exciting advancements in marine mammal husbandry. I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to train some complex behaviors with some amazing animals.

We are excited to announce the return of our California sea lions, Colby and Diego, to Milwaukee! The boys spent the past summer performing in educational presentations at our facility in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Oceans of Fun has provided seasonal pinniped shows at Hersheypark since 2009. This year we are ecstatic to have a year-round facility at Hersheypark! Though our California sea lions have returned to Milwaukee, our harbor seals Bumper and Mango will be staying throughout the winter and will be participating in Christmas Candy Lane training demonstrations! Trainers transported Colby and Diego home using large, wooden crates, similar to ones you may have in homes for your pets (but a bit larger!). Colby and Diego have been trained to voluntarily enter and allow us to close the crates. This ensures that the entire transport trip is positive and comfortable for our animals. Sea lions are unique in that they do not constantly need water. These animals use water primarily as a food source, as they require fish to eat. They are comfortable and content to be transported dry; however, we made several stops along the way to mist the animals and ensure their comfort and well being. Mango and Bumper will stay with several of their trainers at Hersheypark. Our harbor seals and their trainers will be putting on educational presentations all throughout Hersheypark’s Christmas Candy Lane, running November 13th - December 31st. Following select performances, guests will have the opportunity to have their picture taken with Bumper during our Behind the Splash program! In addition to these educational presentations, guests can also get closer to our animals by participating in our job shadow program. For the most up to date information on Hersheypark show times, be sure to check out the schedule on their website. Follow us on Facebook for updates on our animals and latest happenings!  

Oceans of Fun has been sending a few of our flippered friends to our sister facility located inside of HersheyPark PA for the last seven summers! While our two sea lion stars at Hershey, Diego and Colby, ventured back to Wisconsin for the winter, this year we are thrilled to be keeping our two harbor seals, Bumper and Mango, year round in Hershey, along with their dedicated trainers, for the first time ever. Mango joined our family last spring on a breeding loan from the Chicago Zoological Society in the hopes that her and Bumper may one day have a pup. Facilities partake in breeding loans as a way to help spread genetic diversity among zoological populations. Keeping Mango and Bumper year round in one location allows time for them to bond as well as ensure stability and increase the possibility of successful breeding. Mango and Bumper have been doing great all winter and there is no better way to spend their first winter in Hershey than to experience a snow storm of up to 30 inches of snow! Atlantic Harbor Seals are no strangers to snow, since in the wild they can be found as far north as Greenland. Seals’ diets increase in the winter in order to regulate their body temperature and aid them in packing on blubber, which acts as insulations that can be 4-6 inches thick! Mango and Bumper welcomed the snowflakes and are often found with snow among their whiskers. Between all the snow and training sessions, Mango and Bumper are thriving at HersheyPark! Stop by Hershey Park for Springtime in the Park to get a glimpse of our seals in action! Check out http://www.hersheypark.com/ for more information regarding park hours.

The trainers at Oceans of Fun have been busy working to wean our two youngest pups, Reese (8 months old) and Zeus (1 year old) from their mothers’ milk. Their mother’s milk provides them with all of the nutrients they need, as well as fat to ensure they stay warm throughout the winter months. Sea lion pups typically begin eating fish anywhere from 6-12 months of age. Early on, Reese and Zeus’ trainers have encouraged them to play with and explore fish. From tossing a capelin around in the air, to chasing live bait fish in a baby pool, the weaning process has been all fun and games for our youngsters! In no time, these pups are sure to begin eating fish all on their own! While still nursing from their mothers, Oceans of Fun trainers focused on introducing the pups to all different kinds of sights and sounds, including our educational shows, all kinds of visitors, and so much more – this is called informal training. Once Zeus and Reese are eating fish on a consistent basis, we can begin their formal training, which will include foundation behaviors that will be utilized as the basis for all future training! Be sure to stop by Oceans of Fun this coming season to visit and possibly get a glimpse of these fast growing pups!

Every day at Oceans of Fun we dedicate ourselves to the marine mammals in our family.  It is extremely important to us to provide the highest quality care, habitat, training, interactive programs, education and other factors vital to their welfare.  We follow strict guidelines set by the Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the federal agency that licenses and inspects all marine mammal facilities in the United States as well as by our accrediting organization, the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA). APHIS recently conducted an extensive review of their regulations.  Although the agency proposes some updates, their review demonstrated in many ways that marine mammal parks and aquariums in this country do an exemplary job.  Unfortunately, extremists opposed to animals under human care are already suggesting changes with the sole intent of putting us out of business.  We, the Alliance-accredited facilities in this country, are the experts in the field of marine mammal care.  Any modifications or enhancements we suggest are aligned with the welfare of our animals. The agency needs to hear from people like you who believe that Oceans of Fun and our colleagues take wonderful care of our animals.  We are asking you, our supporters, to please submit a personal comment to APHIS during the public comment period that is open from now until May 4, 2016. Click here for more information about the proposed rules.  Click here to submit a public comment. Points to Consider in Your Comment: Your connection/experience with Oceans of Fun and/or other marine mammal parks (i.e. frequent visitor, annual pass holder, veteran participating in a particular program, former/current student, member, one-time visitor, etc.) Thank APHIS for conducting the thorough review of existing regulations and for recognizing that marine mammal parks and facilities in the United States provide outstanding care and treatment of the animals in their families, including maintaining healthy habitats suitable to their needs. Draw from personal experience with the parks.  State your positive observations about the care and management of the animals. Share your positive interactive program experiences if you participated.  Tell how your experiences inspired your conservation actions.  Share what you noticed that was enriching to the animal during your visit. Explain why you feel their welfare was top priority. Share the educational value of your visit.  State the influence this had in your life. Sample Comment: Based on the reference points, a comment could read something like this: I am a long time member and frequent visitor Oceans of Fun in Milwaukee Wisconsin.  During my visits, I have participated in a number of pinniped interactive programs and also spent time watching many of their educational shows over the years.   In every instance, I was impressed by the staff’s dedication to loving and caring for the animals and the clean environments in which the animals live. It is clear to me that the seals and sea lions enjoy the sessions as much as the people.  They appear to choose to participate and are never forced. As a long time visitor, I have learned so much about the animals, the environment, and the importance of conservation.  They have inspired me to improve my personal actions in my daily life and in my support of the environment around me. I’d like to thank you for your diligent commitment to animal welfare.  I appreciate that you also recognize that U.S. marine mammal parks are dedicated to providing top quality care and public education and that you did not feel compelled to unnecessarily change regulations.  Thank you!  My deepest thanks to you for your ongoing support of Oceans of Fun.  If you have any questions about this issue and our request for your help, please don’t hesitate to contact me at Shelley@oceansoffun.org Warm regards, Shelley Ballmann President/ CEO Oceans of Fun

 Oceans of Fun is committed to animal conservation globally.  Recently our conservation efforts have led to the Alaskan coastline and one of the largest walrus sanctuaries in North America. Round Island is one of 7 small islands that are protected by the Walrus Islands State Game Sanctuary (WISGS).  This string of islands located in Bristol Bay, AK forms a sanctuary for several species of seabirds, Stellar sea lions and is one of the largest terrestrial haul out sites in North America for pacific walrus with counts of 2,000 – 5,000 walrus residing.  The remote wilderness is uninhabited with the exception of a small field camp on Round Island which provides the opportunity for wildlife to be monitored and the sanctuary protected.   Learn more here!

This spring, Oceans of Fun was honored to accept the 2016  “Outstanding Internship Program” Award from the Milwaukee Area College Internship Consortium (MACIC)!    Each year, MACIC recognizes local and state-wide internship programs that demonstrate best practices and exceptional mentorship to students pursuing work related experience. Entering the field of marine mammal care and training can be difficult without hands-on experience.  To that end, Oceans of Fun has created an Internship Program that educates college students who are pursuing careers in Biology, Marine Biology, Psychology, Animal Behavior, Oceanography, Ecology, Education, and Communication.  Students learn about animal diets, facility care, animal training, and assist the staff in educating the public about how to care for the environment.   Oceans of Fun is honored to accept this award on behalf of our internship program. We are thrilled to play a role in giving interns at our company the opportunity to develop professionally and to expand their knowledge in the field of animal care.

Shows are well underway for the summer season at our Hersheypark location. Diego, Colby, Mango, and Bumper have been educating guests this season with 4 educational presentations a day. Each presentation highlights amazing adaptations from both seals and sea lions, the care and training which is provided for each animal on a daily basis, as well as our stars help teach guests how they can do their part to help save our world and the animals which inhabit it. Diego is in Hershey for his 8th season, Bumper for his 4th, and Colby and Mango are there for their second! Each animal continues to learn and grow each day. Recently Colby learned a brand new behavior, a salute! This adorable youngster continues to awe crowds each day as he inspires his audiences’. This year we are also excited to welcome back our photo program, “Behind the Splash”, as a way for guest to purchase a ticket to get their picture taken with one of our flippered friends! Be sure to visit www.hersheypark.com and www.oceansoffun.org for more details, as well as stop by the Hersheypark Aquatheatre this summer to get your chance to see our stars up close and personal for a truly memorable and educational experience! Want to keep up with what’s happening in our animals lives? Like us on Facebook and keep up with our current events! Like us!

The season of giving is here!  You can help positively impact our world, our environment, and our oceans by contributing to a zoological institution.  Accredited institutions, like Oceans of Fun, play a crucial role in the conservation of endangered species and ensuring that even healthy populations of wild animals remain that way with your help.  Last year the dynamic population of animals that call Oceans of Fun home consumed over 50,000 pounds of fish (that’s equivalent to about 17 Volkswagen Beetles) ... and some of them are still growing! Which means fish quantities are going to increase.  Your donations help contribute to the dietary needs of our pups, juveniles, and adults while also helping with veterinary expenses as well.  We pride ourselves on providing the best animal care possible for our seals and sea lions and every contribution you make helps us help them.  But it doesn’t stop at Oceans of Fun’s population of animals. We are facility dedicated to marine mammal science, education, and conservation.  In 2015, over 4,000 sea lion pups were found malnourished and dehydrated on the coast of California in what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has declared an Unusual Mortality Event (UME).  Your donations help send staff to rescue and rehabilitate pups just like Nalu, a UME pup that was deemed non-releasable and now calls Oceans of Fun home, as well as help cover daily supplies to help get these animals back on their flippers.  They need you.  Even the smallest donation goes a long way and helps make a difference in the life of seals and sea lions. You can give back this holiday season by donating to our conservation efforts by clicking here.  Every donation comes with the happy feeling of knowing you’ve directly contributed to the health and welfare of seals and sea lions.

We offer a variety of interactive programs for participants of all ages.  If you or someone you know loves marine mammals, we have a program that allows you to get up close and personal with our seals and sea lions.  Whether staying dry poolside or dipping your toes in the water, the following interactive programs are guaranteed to put a smile on your face and a love for our flippered friends in your heart: Sea Lion Splash is offered for kids ages 5-10 and is a program that has been a favorite for many years.  Our junior trainers work with our educators, trainers, and animals while learning about our seals and sea lions, what goes into training our animals, and conservation.  Participants in these programs work poolside with our animals feeding them fish that they checked and bucketed themselves all while practicing some hands-on training with a target pole and a clicker!  Are you 13 or over and interested in learning about the world of marine mammal science in greater detail?  Check out our Job Shadow program and spend the day one on one with one of the members of our animal care team! Kids Summer Camps are something that every child (and sometimes parents, too!) look forward to every year.  Oceans of Fun offers the only marine mammal camp in the Midwest and we’ve recently made some fun changes to some of these programs!  Our camps are offered for children ages 7-13 and allow participants the unique opportunity of a life time.  Whether attending our 2-Day Animal Training Camp, 3-Day Mini Camp, or our 5-Day Sea Lion Explorer or Marine Voyager camps, participants get to know our animals and trainers extremely well through daily poolside interactions.  New this summer, is our Marine Voyagers Marine Mammal Careers Camp which will focus on all the professions revolving around marine mammals.  From trainers to veterinarians to educators, our campers will experience it all and even more!  From crafts to mock rescue and rehabilitation, our camps provide some of the best summer memories a child could ask for! Aquatic Adventure is a special program to Oceans of Fun since we were the first interactive pinniped facility in the nation!  Have you ever wondered what seals or sea lions feel like?  Have you ever wanted to get in the water with our animals? Look no further because this is the program for you!  Make waves and memories with our flippered friends after learning about our animals, training, and ways we can help make a difference for our world’s oceans and the many wonderful animals that call it home.   To read more about our programs or to make a reservation click here.  Spots go quickly so be sure to do it soon and remember that rescheduling is free up to fourteen days before your reservation date!

Nalu is a three-year-old juvenile male California sea lion.  With an energy for learning and a love of working with our animal care team, we’re as lucky to have Nalu as he is to have us.  In 2013, he was found extremely malnourished and dehydrated on the coast of California when he was four months old and his mother was nowhere to be found.  He was rescued and rehabilitated but due to his young age he had no chance of survival and was deemed non-releasable.  Oceans of Fun was then contacted and gladly accepted the task of giving him a forever home. We are extremely happy to announce that Nalu is a growing, healthy, and charismatic sea lion who is learning new behaviors every day.  Being such a spunky sea lion, we thought you should all have the opportunity to learn from him and follow him on his adventures.  Nalu is surfing onto the web and kicking off the holiday season with Nalu’s 25 Days of Conservation leading up to Christmas.  The fun doesn’t stop there, though.  Join us on the journey of a lifetime as we follow Nalu’s adventures and antics captured year-round!  Don’t miss any of the action and be sure to like him on Facebook and follow @naluthesealion on Instagram and Twitter!

Reese was born in July 2015 and followed the typical milestones for sea lion pups including weaning from her mother’s milk. It was quickly noticed that eating fish became increasingly difficult for Reese.  While it was apparent she was hungry, she wanted nothing to do with fish.   We let her continue to nurse until she reached a weight where we could safely do a health assessment to determine this aversion toward fish.  When she finally reached the needed weight, we were able to do the procedure and discovered that Reese has Oropharyngeal Stenosis.  This means her esophagus is oddly shaped and only one quarter the size of what it should be.  If she were in the wild, she would have no chance of survival.  Being dedicated to the health and welfare of each and every one of our animals, the animal care team at Oceans of Fun knew that giving up on Reese was not an option.  Our staff has worked relentlessly to keep this tough little cookie up on her flippers and ensure she’s eating fish painlessly.  We are proud to say that Reese is now eating 10-12 pounds of fish every day! Being one of the first zoological institutions to encounter this naturally occurring birth defect in a California sea lion, we are thankful that we were able to help Reese and ensure she is happy, healthy, and pain free.  Read the full story here and enjoy video footage of our animal care team feeding Reese!

The vaquita is a small species of porpoise found only in the northern Gulf of California and is nearing extinction at a rapid pace.  Vaquitas were once thriving with close to 5,000 individuals but since 2011 we have lost over 90% of this beautiful animal’s population.  With only 30 vaquitas left in the wild, the most significant threat to their survival is entanglement in fixed fishing nets or gillnets.  More than 300,000 whales, porpoises, and dolphins get entangled in fishing nets annually and most don’t survive.  While gillnets are illegal, they are continuing to be used which is detrimental to the vaquita’s battle against extinction.  If this issue is ignored, we will lose the vaquita forever.  Organizations accredited by the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums from around the world are contributing expertise and knowledge to assist these conservation efforts.  We can’t do it alone and need your help!  Help us save the vaquita!  

All of our interactive programs provide the amazing opportunity to meet some of our flippered friends.  Our Sea Lion Splash Jr. Trainer program has long been a favorite program and April 12th-16th you can enjoy 15% off this unique program! Participants ages 5-10 will learn about seals, sea lions, how we train, and so much more during their time with us.  All of this learning is coupled with animal interactions featuring the stars of Oceans of Fun! The animal lover in your life will absolutely adore meeting our animals up close and personal and getting to use some of the knowledge they learned to work alongside our seals and sea lions.  This two and a half hour program is perfect for the marine mammal lover in your life.  To learn more or make a reservation click here.

It is with a heavy heart that the Oceans of Fun animal care team announces the loss of our rescued male California sea lion, Nalu.  Nalu was found at three months of age stranded on the pacific coast and was extremely malnourished and dehydrated.  Being so young and still of nursing age, Nalu was deemed non-releasable by the National Marine Fisheries and would need to find a placement.  Oceans of Fun was then contacted and gladly accepted their request to provide a permanent home to the orphaned sea lion pup. Rescuing stranded animals and giving them a second chance at life is part of the conservation efforts accredited marine mammal facilities like Oceans of Fun are dedicated to.  Life in the wild is harsh and there is so much we do not know about these animals including their history, why they stranded, or their exposure to toxins like Domoic Acid.  Unfortunately, we have seen so many pups strand with Domoic Acid exposure which, while unrecognizable, proves to be fatal within the first few years of life.  Preliminary tests are leading to exposure to toxins early in life as this week Nalu’s neurological system failed.  Part of conservation is research and so we will continue to learn about the status of our oceans from the loss of animals unable to survive its dangers. For all of us at Oceans, who gave so much to this special little pup, this is a tremendous loss. Nalu won all of our hearts with his gentle, lovable personality. While we didn’t understand his early challenges in the wild, he enjoyed a wonderful life with us thriving with his pinniped friends and loving every interaction with his trainers. He will forever hold a very special place in our hearts and his story will continue to educate on the dangers marine mammals are facing today.  With sad hearts we give a final kiss on the nose to this wonderful little sea lion who inspired us all.

Zoological institutions that are accredited by organizations such as the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and the Alliance of Marine Mammals Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA), like Oceans of Fun, get inspected to ensure that species in human care receive topnotch healthcare and an exceptional environment to thrive in.  These facilities in partnership with other conservation-based organizations, like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, play a pivotal role in the protection and preservation of threatened or endangered species.  Without accredited zoos and aquariums, the race against extinction would be lop-sided highly in favor in the disappearance of species. Unfortunately, the wild isn’t the wild anymore.  Humans have encroached on the territory of animals spanning a wide variety of environments.  From the seemingly barren deserts to lush rainforests, human-caused obstacles are making life in the wild a struggle for many animals.  Pollution, global climate change, poaching, deforestation, habitat loss, and destructive fishing practices are just a few of the many problems we are inflicting on animals all around the globe.  Ruining the environment is all of our problem and it is our responsibility to come together to protect this one planet we all share. One of the easiest ways to do this is by supporting accredited zoos and aquariums.  These zoological institutions have dedicated time, effort, staff, and resources to combating extinction.  Accredited facilities have breeding and reintroduction programs that are placing animals back in the wild that have been extinct in their natural habitats for decades or centuries.  We are studying animals in human care so we can better serve their wild counterparts to ensure that even thriving populations continue to be successful in the wild.  Due to the exceptional healthcare we are able to provide, animals in human care are living double or triple the lifespan of their wild counterparts. Every time you support an accredited organization, like Oceans of Fun and the Milwaukee County Zoo, you are supporting all of this and so much more.  Extinction is forever and once a species truly disappears it can never come back.  We can all work together to ensure that this single planet we all share is populated by all of these magnificent creatures and more for future generations to come.  To read more about the challenges animals in the wild are facing and to find out more about how you can help start combating extinction right now visit our Saving Species page. 

It is with heavy hearts that Oceans of Fun said good-bye to Slick, our beloved California Sea lion on Friday March 10th. Slick, at 30 years of age, was believed to be the oldest male California sea lion in human care. In the wild, male sea lions live on average 8-10 years. Tripling that life span at Oceans of Fun, Slick was an ambassador for his wild counterparts, touching thousands of hearts and educating Milwaukee patrons about marine mammal conservation. Slick was the dominant male at Oceans of Fun and a favorite among guests at the Milwaukee County Zoo. During his life, Slick sired 8 beautiful pups. At Oceans of Fun, Slick was a loved member of our family. Slick had an affinity for people, often choosing to hang out with his trainers for daily back rubs and affection. He could always be counted on to bring smiles and kisses into our days. He taught many trainers throughout his years and impacted all of us positively every day.. He will be greatly missed and forever remembered. Slick's memory will live on in all of us and will be fondly remembered. If you would like to show your love for Slick, we have started the Slick Conservation Fund in his honor.  All of the proceeds from any of our Slick merchandise will be donated and directly contribute to the conservation projects of Oceans of Fun.   To view and/or purchase any of this merchandise visit our  Slick Conservation Fund  

Oceans of Fun is the only marine mammal camp in the Midwest and has been featured in CampNavigator magazine for the unique opportunities we offer for 7-13 year olds.  March 17-25th we are offering 15% off all of our camp programs and we would love for you to join us!  Each of our camps are jam packed with activites, crafts, learning, and exploring the Milwaukee County Zoo and Oceans of Fun! Whether it's our 2 day Animal Training Camp, 3 day Mini Camp, or our 5 day camps, each camper gets up close and personal interaction time with our animals.  They get to apply their knowledge of seals and sea lions, training, adaptations, and more while getting to know the amazing animal ambassadors that call Oceans of Fun home.  Oceans of Fun staff also take photographsof the participants during interactions that are available for purchase at the end of the program so these memories are yours to treasure for years to come!  If you're interested in registering for any of our camp programs, click here.  Unsure of your schedule but don't want to miss out on this amazing deal?  Rescheduling is available up to two weeks prior to your program free of charge!

Our interactive programs provide an amazing opportunity to meet some our animal ambassadors and learn how to be a conservation crusader for their wild counterparts.  If you or someone you know loves marine mammals, we have a program that allows you to get up close and personal with our seals and sea lions.  Whether staying dry poolside or dipping your toes in the water, the following interactive programs are guaranteed to put a smile on your face and a love for our flippered friends in your heart: Sea Lion Splash is offered for kids ages 5-10 and is a program that has been a favorite for many years.  Our junior trainers work with our educators, trainers, and animals while learning about our seals and sea lions, what goes into training our animals, and conservation.  Participants in these programs work poolside with our animals feeding them fish that they checked and bucketed themselves all while practicing some hands-on training with a target pole and a clicker!  Are you 13 or over and interested in learning about the world of marine mammal science in greater detail?  Check out our Job Shadow program and spend the day one on one with one of the members of our animal care team! Kids Summer Camps are something that every child (and sometimes parents, too!) look forward to every year.  Oceans of Fun offers the only marine mammal camp in the Midwest and we’ve recently made some fun changes to some of these programs!  Our camps are offered for children ages 7-13 and allow participants the unique opportunity of a life time.  Whether attending our 2-Day Animal Training Camp, 3-Day Mini Camp, or our 5-Day Sea Lion Explorer or Marine Voyager camps, participants get to know our animals and trainers extremely well through daily poolside interactions.  New this summer, is our Marine Voyagers Marine Mammal Careers Camp which will focus on all the professions revolving around marine mammals.  From trainers to veterinarians to educators, our campers will experience it all and even more!  From crafts to mock rescue and rehabilitation, our camps provide some of the best summer memories a child could ask for! Our Aquatic Adventure is one of our most popular programs as it's the only in-water pinniped program in the Midwest!  Have you ever wondered what it would be like to enter the water with our seals and sea lions?  Find out during this one of kind program and create memories that will last a lifetime. Learn in depth about the components of providing exceptional welfare to these animals, how we reinforce positive behavior, and more before making a splash with our animal ambassadors! For more program details or to make a reservation click here.  Unsure of your schedule but want to take advantage of our 15% off deal?  You are able to reschedule your program free of charge up to two weeks prior to your program!    

Oceans of Fun is dedicated to educating the public about marine life, the environment, and conservation.  We do all this by creating unique, personal experiences with some special flippered friends: our seals and sea lions!  Carl Deffenbaugh from Fox6 news got to experience this first hand as we gave him a sneak preview of some of the amazing programs Oceans of Fun has to offer.  From our daily seal and sea lion presentations to our Junior Trainer program to our camps and our in-water program, we have fun opportunities for the whole family! While Mr. Deffenbaugh was here, we had the chance to talk him through each of the aforementioned programs and brought him up close and personal to some of our animals.  If you missed us on live television, you can check out the action by clicking the following links: For a short video overview, click here To view all of the segments, click here Check out our facebook live video by clicking here    

Meet the newest member of the Oceans of Fun family, Moana!  For the third time, Oceans of Fun has been asked to provide a forever home to a California sea lion that has stranded off the coast of California.   Moana was found trapped in a storm sewer very lethargic, cold, and alone.  The Pacific Marine Mammal Center was able to rescue her and estimate that she was only about four months old.  California sea lions will nurse from their mothers for 6-12 months but her mother was nowhere to be found.  She was given around the clock care and bottle fed until she was able to begin consuming fish.  Due to her young age, she lacked the necessary skills to be successful foraging for food on her own.  She was then deemed non-releasable and Oceans of Fun was contacted to provide her with a home.  Moana would not have survived in the wild and is very fortunate to receive a second chance at life in her new home here in Milwaukee.  Her case is not unique and since January of 2015 over 7,000 California sea lions have stranded in what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association has deemed an Unusual Mortality Event or UME.  Oceans of Fun is extremely dedicated to Saving Species worldwide and will continue assisting not only with UME animals that have stranded but a variety of conservation projects related to marine mammal research, Great Lakes preservation, and more.  Help us help them.  If you are interested in learning more about Moana, our conservation efforts, and a way to get involved, please click here.

It was not too long ago that we welcomed our third rescued California sea lion pup, Moana, into the Oceans of Fun family.  She spent her first month at the Animal Health Center in quarantine to ensure she was perfectly healthy before she was able to join the rest of our population.  While she is getting accustomed to her new home and poolmates, Fox6 Milwaukee came to check in on Moana and tell her story on Facebook Live.  To view the whole video click here and to learn more about Moana’s second chance at life click here.