Coming into this job I had very little of marine life at all, but I was welcomed with open arms and taught what I needed to know as an educator. Overall, the marine animals aren't super different than the land ones that I'm familiar with. I mean a manatee's closest living relative is an elephant.
Speaking of Manatees, I really fell in love with these orphaned manatee calves that are a part of the Seaworld rescue program. Did you know that Seaworld has rescued over 31,000 animals? Me either, but that was one of the things that I thoroughly enjoyed learning about and teaching guests about. We did have more than just manatee calves, there were many manatees that came into our manatee hospital with injuries or other needs for rehabilitation. Watching the manatees throughout their rehabilitation was one of my favorite things. Getting to tell their stories was a wonderful to teach how important conservation really is.
Another favorite exhibit of mine to staff was Antarctica. This is where the penguins lives. This habitat is wonderfully designed for both the penguins and the humans. There is only a half piece of glass between the penguins and the humans allowing the humans to be in the habitat with the penguins and experience the 32 degrees Fahrenheit temperatures. The 5 snow machines made me really feel like it was Christmas time even though it was summertime. And the penguins were so fun to watch. Wearing a snowsuit to work in the summer in Florida was pretty funny though.
As a member of the team at Seaworld I got the opportunity to have some close up encounters with animals like stingrays at our stingray lagoon exhibit. Did you know that a group of stingrays is called a fever? And I got to swim with Dolphins at Discovery Cove for a discounted price. Did you know that Dolphins will nurse once an hour 24 hours a day for the first two years of life? ( FYI Discovery Cove is a Seaworld Parks and Entertainment park and as an employee I got a discount, so swimming with dolphins is something that the general public can do as well. It's just a little pricey, but a lot of guests say it's worth it.)
I got to experience so much more than I can even put into words, like seeing new Sea Lion and Seal pups exploring their world. This is a season of life that I'll never forget and will forever be grateful that I had.
Even though it's only a little over a month since I left, I miss it. The people I met and the lessons I learned there will stick with me for a lifetime. If you're in the Orlando area I encourage to stop and see for yourself the care and conservation that really goes on at Seaworld. Join me in taking care of our planet, recycle, reduce your use of single use plastics, and save the world for the animals that we share it with. If you have any questions about Seaworld, please don't hesitate to reach out.
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