Search

Introducing Moana to a new environment is a step by step process which Fox6 Milwaukee has been covering in their Facebook Live videos!  From bringing her to our facility from the Animal Health Center to introducing her to her poolmates, everything happens at Moana's comfort so we do not overwhelm her.  So far she is doing wonderfully and was recently introduced to quite a few members of our population!  Moana has made a new friendship with our two year old female California sea lion pup, Reese, and together they have been stirring up the water as they play, chase each other in circles, and romp.  You can catch all the action and more during our Facebook Live event which can be viewed by clicking here.  You can also read Fox6 Milwaukee's full article on Moana by clicking here.

Oceans of Fun is split into a variety of areas so our seals and sea lions can choose where they can be throughout the day.  Being new to our facility, we wanted Moana to slowly get acclimated to her new environment which began in our 6-8 feet deep habitat behind the scenes.  As she has become accustomed to our animal care team, her poolmates, and transitioned between these behind the scenes areas beautifully, today we were able to give her acccess to our 250,000 gallon, 18 feet deep main pool! Fox6 stopped by to film the whole event so be sure to check out the full story and video by clicking here.

We cannot believe how quickly the year has gone and that we are already looking ahead to another great season in 2018!  With the holidays fast approaching, we will be offering deals on all of our interactive programs including two new programs!  Each of our programs consist of various educational portions about our animals, our facility, the environment, and so much more.  What makes our programs unique is the opportunity to meet our seals and sea lions up close and personal!  Our two newest programs: our Sea Lion Surprise Day Camp and Caring for Flippered Friends Kids Program combine both of these for the perfect experience for the animal lover in your life. What goes into providing topnotch welfare to the seals and sea lions that call Oceans of Fun home? Our Caring for Flippered Friends is a two and a half hour program that allows kids ages 8-13 to put themselves in the shoes of our animal care team and explore the many different components that keep our animals and their habitat healthy.  They will then apply all of their knowledge as they work poolside with some of our amazing animal ambassadors!  Learn more about our Caring for Flippered Friends program by clicking here. Also new this year is our Sea Lion Surprise Day Camp which is perfect for a family on the go!  This program for 8-13 year olds has various spring and summer sessions that all include different topics relating to marine mammals, adaptations, and more!  No matter if you choose to join us for one, two, or more days, this program allows for plenty of poolside interaction time with our animals and is sure to be waves of fun! Learn more about our Sea Lion Surprise Day Camp program by clicking here.

  If you're planning on visiting the Milwaukee County Zoo's Family Free Day on Saturday March 3rd, be sure to stop by Oceans of Fun for our opening weekend! We're offering four family friendly Seal & Sea Lion Feedings on Saturday March 3rd and Sunday March 4th at 11:00, 12:30, 2:00, and 3:30. Come up close and feed our flippered friends poolside all while helping us protect marine life. All of the proceeds from this incredible experience contribute directly to the conservation and topnotch welfare efforts of Oceans of Fun! To purchase tickets visit our Sea Lion Shoppe located across from Monkey Island on the day of the event or learn more by clicking here.

We're very excited to announce that our female Atlantic harbor seal, Mango, is pregnant and expecting her first pup!  Mango and Bumper are our two harbor seals that educate the public during daily presentations at our sister facility located at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania.  Bumper joined the Oceans of Fun family in 2012 from the Long Island Aquarium in New York and Mango joined us shortly after in 2015.  They both arrived on breeding loan in hopes that this day may one day come.  We are looking forward to Oceans of Fun's newest bundle of joy arriving in May of this year.  Learn more about Mango and Bumper by clicking on their names to take you to their biographies.  To view the full announcement video: click here. 

We were recently visited by Megan Pospychala from Fox6 News who helped provide an update about our rescued California sea lion, Moana, as well as share a very special announcement!  Oceans of Fun is proud to share that we have opened Ocean Connections a separate, nonprofit organization we have piloted to further community engagement in conservation efforts.  To celebrate the commencement of Ocean Connections we will be hosting our first annual Meals for Seals fundraiser on Wednesday October 3rd from 11:00AM-10:00PM at Highland House in Mequon.  A portion of the proceeds from each entree will directly contribute to the animal welfare and conservation efforts of Ocean Connections.  Join us for a night of good food for a good cause!   Missed the big announcement? View it here! Unable to attend but interested in contributing? Help us, help them by donating today! You can even become a sponsor! For more information, contact us!

Kanuk is the seventh rescued California sea lion we have provided a forever home for at Oceans of Fun! Kanuk was found stranded, malnourished, and dehydrated off the coast of San Pedro, California. He was one of thousands of starving pups struggling to survive.  A local rescue center attemped to rehabilitate and release him but after he stranded multiple times it was clear he lacked necessary survival skills.  It was then that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administartion (NOAA) deemed him non-releasable.  Accredited zoological facilities are working with NOAA and the receiving stranding centers to ensure care, food, medicine, and - when needed - forever homes to marine mammals unable to survive in the wild.  In 2015, Oceans of Fun was one of several facilities called upon for assistance.  On September 10, 2018 the Oceans of Fun animal care team in collaboration with the Chicago Zoological Society at Brookfield Zoo transported Kanuk to his forever home here in Milwaukee.  The last month has been spent meeting new friends, building relationships, and ensuring Kanuk's successful acclimation into his new place.  We are again thrilled to open our hearts and facility to an animal in need! Be sure to follow us on social media to hear more about his progress and read his full story by clicking here.

This Halloween we are all treat and no trick! Take advantage of our Spooktacular Sale running October 27th - 31st, 2018.  We're offering 15% off ALL Interactive Program Gift Certificates for the 2019 season! Witches, goblins, ghosts, and ghouls alike can learn more about our fang-tastic programs by clicking here! Includes: Sea Lion Splash, Aquatic Adventure, Job Shadow, Caring for Flippered Friends, and all Kids Summer Camps! Not valid on merchandise, paintings, non-interactive program gift certificates, or program observers. PURCHASE PROGRAM GIFT CERTIFICATES NOW! All 2019 program dates will be released in early November.  

Spring has sprung and not only have the flowers started to pop up but so have a lot of changes around Oceans of Fun.  We are proud to announce the reception of our federal letter of approval to function as a non-profit organization.  If you have been following us on social media, you might recognize the name Ocean Connections.  This is the name of our officially registered 501(c)3 organization and we are excited to further our committment to the community and the environment.  Wednesday April 24th we were joined by Fox6 News Milwaukee and Ocean Connections President and CEO, Shelley Ballmann, to discuss what this transition means for our animals and our supporters.  View the exclusive look at their time with us by clicking here!

Mark your calendars for Sunday, June 7th, 2020! Join us for a fun day of golfing, prizes and giving as we host our 2nd Annual Putting Fore! Pinnipeds Charity Golf Outing at Ironwood Golf Course! Proceeds will benefit conservation efforts for various pinniped species including harbor seals and California sea lions! Your participation directly contributes to Ocean Connections education, conservation and animal care programs. Learn more or register today by clicking here. Unable to attend but looking to get involved?  Make a donation! Any contribution automatically enters you in a drawing to win a backpack, a water bottle, and a four pack of show tickets good for the 2020 season!

Enjoy an evening of amazing animals, conservation and fundraising. Ocean Connections is dedicated to inspiring conservation awareness and public action for our world’s ocean through education. Our beautiful ambassadors will touch your heart while teaching your mind as we share an evening devoted to conservation awareness. Joining us will be well known animal advocates Julie Scardina, Suzi Rapp and David Jackson along with their amazing animal ambassadors. All proceeds raised directly benefit Ocean Connections education, conservation and animal care programs. Limited tickets available!  To learn more and purchase your tickets, click here.

In an abundance of caution, our facilities in both Wisconsin and Pennsylvania will be closed through at least March 27th.  The health and welfare of our team, guests, and communities is our utmost priority.  All programming and classes through March 27th will be canceled as a preventative measure to help slow the spread of COVID-19 through our areas. Although we are outdoor establishments, we will utilize this time to ensure that our sanitation and cleanliness protocols are enhanced ensuring that high touch point areas are thoroughly sanitized, and we are able to ensure a pristine environment throughout our facilities. We can confirm that our team of experts will continue to provide excellent care for our animals during this time. Please check back for updates regarding our closure status. We recommend the following links to science-based sources of information about his virus from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. Thank you for patience and understanding at this time. Stay healthy and safe, everyone!

    Bring the magic and fun of marine mammals to your online classroom! Ocean Connections is committed to community outreach and education. For the remainder of this school year, we will be offering you an engaging, interactive resource by providing digital lessons for kids via Facebook Live. Featuring our seals and sea lions, these Virtual Field Trips occur twice a week and will explore marine life, conservation, adaptations, DIY upcycled craft projects, and more! We hope that you will find this resource useful and share it openly. To participate simply follow us on Facebook by clicking here. Be sure to tune in to Facebook Live every Tuesday and Friday at 11:00AM CT to learn about our animals, our facility, and more.  You can also access our Virtual Field Trips through our Google Drive which you are welcome to share with your own Google Classroom or check out the links below!      Virtual Field Trip Topics (Click Topic to Access Video): What is a Pinniped? Amazing Adaptations Survival of the Species Upcycled Crafts Part 1 Welcome to the Fish House! Animal Training Part 1 Animal Training Part 2 Staying Healthy Sea Lion Style! Enrichment and Play Rescuers from Orange County Meet our Rescued Sea Lions! Who Dirtied the Water? Exclusive Interviews with Our Trainers How to Draw Awesome Seals Hello from Hersheypark Interactive Programs    

Ocean Connections is excited to be offering two brand new opportunities to spread some love, fun, and positivity.  You can now invite one of our seals and sea lions to share a special message for you.  No matter what you may be celebrating or if you just want to make someone smile, you can do so with the help of our animal ambassadors during a fully customizable shout out!   Hosting a Virtual Meeting on Zoom or Google Hangout? Invite one of our seals or sea lions to make it fun!  The donations for these programs helps us with the daily feeding and care of our animal ambassadors. Learn more or reserve them today by clicking here.

Ocean Connections is excited to welcome you and your family back to visit us starting Saturday June 13th, 2020.  Our top priority is ensuring the safety of our animals and guests so we are closely following the guidelines of the CDC as well as the Milwaukee County Zoo.  Please thoroughly read our new protocols below before visiting us: GUEST RESPONSIBILITY WITHIN OCEAN CONNECTIONS If you or any member of your party or family is not feeling well, please don’t visit. We welcome your visit when everyone is well. Currently, government health organizations are recommending people 65 years and older, those who live in a nursing homes or long-term care facilities, and people with underlying medical conditions should either remain home or keep their distance from others.  REFERENCES:  www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-at-higher-risk.html   All guests ages three years and up are required to wear a face mask/covering throughout their visit. This is for your own protection and for the protection of other guests and employees at the Zoo.  Employees will also be wearing face masks/coverings within public areas.   Practice good hygiene while visiting the Milwaukee County Zoo.   We have enhanced our already-stringent cleaning protocols considering the COVID-19 pandemic. We ask for your patience if you experience any delays or inconvenience as a result of these procedures. Follow physical distancing guidelines carefully, maintaining 6 feet of space from other guests/employees. Family members and others (a “family unit”) who live in the same household can be closer together. All others should strictly adhere to the physical distancing guidelines. This will apply throughout the Zoo including on rides in queue lines, in/at exhibits, in/at food and beverage facilities, in show venues, and in restrooms. To facilitate adherence to physical distancing guidelines, Ocean Connections will operate at designated reduced capacities during the opening phase(s). If you feel ill once you are at the Zoo call 414-771-3040. You and your party will be asked to move to a special area within a facility for further assessment. Ocean Connections is dedicated to thew ell-being and safety of its patrons, staff, and animals.  We will continue to follow the required guidelines related to COVID-19.  Please be aware that changes to Ocean Connections operations and protocols may occur at any time.  Current guidelines are temporary and, when appropriate, Ocean Connections will transition into cooperation with the Phase II guidelines set forth by the CDC and Milwaukee County Zoo.

Want to look great and support conservation at the same time? Get your Saving Species Mask today! These two-ply cloth masks are made of moisture wicking polyester/spandex performance fabric and contain an adjustable nose piece to form fit. Perfect for the animal lover in your life! Get yours today by visiting: https://www.oceansoffun.org/store_items/33

Just because we have to keep our distance, doesn’t mean we have to stay inside! Join Ocean Connections for our very own Sea Lion Shuffle Stay Away 5K, with all proceeds benefitting sea lion care and conservation. Run, walk, hike, or bike a 5K by yourself from anywhere to participate in this fun event! Register at https://www.oceanconnections.org/events, then run, walk, hike, or bike a 5K by yourself on July 18th or 19th! Your $30 registration fee benefits sea lions AND includes a Sea Lion Shuffle 5K commemorative t-shirt print with the winning design from our T-Shirt Design Contest! A special thanks to Mid-City Sports for sponsoring our t-shirts that each participant in our Sea Lion Shuffle - Stay Away 5K will receive! What's a Stay Away 5K? Watch this video from Ocean Connections president, Shelley Ballmann, showing you exactly how to do it: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=671819827008120 This is a remote 5K - you do not need to be local to participate! Run or walk wherever you live! THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! Donations through this event will help us to make up for revenues that we would have otherwise generated from spring and summer educational programming and fundraisers that have been cancelled due to COVID-19. Gifts through this virtual race will support our care and conservation of sea lions.

Our Flippered Friends & Family program brings you and your loved ones behind the scenes at Ocean Connections! This 30 minute program includes visiting off exhibit areas and a private training session with one of our seals or sea lions. Learn more or make your reservation today by visiting: https://www.oceansoffun.org/program_details/26

Is Ocean Connections open during the winter time? YES!  Our seals and sea lions are well adapted to the winter weather thanks to a 1-6 inch layer of blubber that keeps them warm.  They also have access to heated, sheltered, indoor areas throughout the day and all through the night. Can guests visit Ocean Connections? ABSOLUTELY!  Our Seal & Sea Lion Feedings and Photo Sessions are offered daily.  We are still mindfully taking into consideration CDC Guidelines and have designated areas for guests to maintain a minimum of 6 feet of social distancing during programming.  Face masks must be worn throughout the entirety of their visit.  Be sure to check out our Saving Species Masks by clicking here or visiting our Sea Lion Shoppe located across from Monkey Island. Are you still offering programs at this time? As long as the high for the day is above 32 degrees fahrenheit, our Seal & Sea Lion Feedings and Photo Sessions will be offered at 10:30, 12:00, and 1:30.  We also offer our 30-minute VIP behind the scenes program, Flippered Friends & Family, daily at 12:30.   Do we need to register in advance? You do not need to register in advance however it is highly encouraged. To pre-purchase tickets for our Seal & Sea Lion Feedings or to register for a Photo Session, click here. To pre-register for our Flippered Friends & Family Program, click here. What is your policy regarding severe winter weather? In the event of inclement weather, we will publicly post on our social media pages noting any closures as soon as we can.  While we do not offer refunds, we can reschedule tickets or programming to accommodate cancellations due to weather-related closures. If you have any other questions or concerns, you can always call our office at (414) 453-5527.

With our recent popularity growing on the social media platform TikTok, we thought we would take some time to answer two of our most frequently asked questions: how and why do you train your animals?  Training takes up an extremely large part of our day with each animal receiving 4-6 one-on-one individual sessions everyday.  These sessions vary from practicing for vet visits to building trusting relationships with our animal care team to keep each session different, fun, and exciting. When learning a new behavior, we use a couple of different training tools to guide our animals.  The first is a target.  The target is a buoy attached to a stick that functions as an extension of our arms. To target simply means to touch or follow and our animals are trained to target or touch their nose, flippers, or other body parts to the target bead and follow it wherever it goes.  We guide our animals through the behavior using small steps called approximations until the behavior is complete.  Once the animals are doing the behavior consistently, we fade the target away and communicate using signals from our hands and voices. How do they know they're doing the behavior correctly? With our second training tool: a clicker! The clicker is referred to as a bridge since it bridges the time between when an animal has done the behavior correctly and when they receive reinforcement. The clicker lets our animals know that they have done a great job and that a reward is coming soon.  We only use positive reinforcement when training our animals which means they get a reward every time they do a behavior correctly. Rewards include plenty of tasty treats, kisses or backrubs from a trusted trainer, toys they like to play with, and so much more! What happens if they do a behavior incorrectly? Nobody's perfect so when our animals don't get a behavior correct, it does make us chuckle and keeps us smiling.  When this occurs, and believe us it does happen, we simply ask them to try again or ask them for a different behavior and reinforce that instead. Training our animals is important to ensure their mental and physical stimulation.  It's an amazing form of problem solving and excercise. It also allows us to provide exceptional welfare to our seals and sea lions.  One of the most important reasons we train our animals is for something called "husbandry."  Husbandry is cooperative medical work.  Our animals voluntarily participate in their own healthcare by presenting their eyes, ears, nose, mouths, flippers, bellies, and even their cute little tails so our animal care team can examine them every single day.  Training these medical behaviors makes any veterinary work that needs to be done completely restraint free and just as comfortable for our animals as it is for our animal care team.  Some examples of husbandry behaviors our animals know are: getting their nails trimmed, their teeth brushed, showing us their belly so we can get an x-ray or ultrasound, and even voluntarily presenting a hind flipper for a blood draw!  With the exceptional care we provide our animals, we are able to double or even triple their lifespans.  To see examples of our training in action click here.

Looking for the perfect Valetine's Day Gift fort he animal lover in your life? We've got you covered. We have plenty of perfect surprises for that special someone: Mystery Boxes: Our mystery boxes come jam packed with surprise Ocean Connections items and some even include paintings done by our animal ambassadors. Check them out here.   Mango Merchandise: Does your Valentine love our TikTok star, Mango? Get some of our brand new Mango Merchandise featuring the internet's favorite seal by clicking here.   Shout Outs: Say it with a seal or sea lion! Wish your significant other a Happy Valentine's Day with the help of our animals and animal care team. To reserve yours click here.   Custom Animal Paintings: Check out our plethora of customizable wine glasses, nose paintings, flipper paintings, and more in our Etsy shop.      

Ocean Connections is excited to announce that the only marine mammal camp in the Midwest is BACK! Our Summer Day Camp Programs include fun activities, adventures within the Milwaukee County Zoo, and quality time with our animal ambassadors. The Nautical Navigators program even allows your camper to get in the water with our seals and sea lions! Ocean Connections Summer Day Camp Programs have limited capacity and are selling quickly so be sure to reserve your spot today! For additional information or to reserve a program click here.   The health and safety of our campers, animals, and staff is our top priority. To learn about our health and safety protocols click here.

  In April of 2021, our rescued female Atlantic harbor seal, Mango, began exhibiting behaviors that concerned our animal care team.  After around-the-clock care, observation, and treatment, extensive measures were taken to diagnose the issue and support her.  When animals come from the wild, it is not uncommon for them to have underlying health issues which do not surface for years.  X-rays of Mango's chest displayed that she has cancerous masses.  We are committed to ensuring that Mango receives the best care, quality of life, and unwavering love throughout her journey.  While there are no treatment options available and the timeline is unknown, Mango is doing well.  If you would like to support Mango and her medical care, you are able to via any of the methods below:  On Our Website  Register for Our Virtual 5K  PayPal  Tiltify  Venmo: @OceanConnections  Purchase Mango Merch   Any contribution is greatly appreciated!

Ocean Connections is devastated to share that our femal Atlantic harbor seal, Mango, has passed. When animals, like Mango, come from the wild it is not uncommon for them to have underlying health issues which do not surface for years.  In April of 2021 after extensive efforts from our animal care and veterinary teams, x-rays of Mango’s chest showed she has cancerous masses.  We dedicated our lives to ensuring that Mango received the best care, quality of life, and unwavering love throughout her journey.  She, unfortunately, succumbed to the disease and lost her battle with cancer at the beginning of May.  She will forever be remembered as an amazing ambassador, loving mom, and an international internet sensation.  We are eternally grateful for the opportunity to have loved and be loved by Mango. If you would like to see the full tribute to this beautiful soul, click here.