Marine Mammal Trainers

#51: Free Swimming with the Harbor Seals

2008-09-21T14:36:00.000-07:00

We have recently started free swims with the Atlantic harbor seals. What exactly is a free swim you ask? For us, it is any time a person is in the water with the seals outside of a training session or cleaning dive. We consider free swims to be a type of enrichment for the seals (and of course the trainers). Since it is very new and we want the seals to be comfortable with us hanging out in the exhibit, we will start by going in for short periods of time, taking a break, then going back in.

In this video, you can see Rochelle doing one of the first free swims with the seals. In her first short swim, Amelia comes right over to check her out. In the second swim, Rochelle has picked up a toy to see if anyone is interested and Chuck swims by while Cayenne checks her out from a distance (look at the top left corner). In the third swim, Trumpet checks her out from a distance. I wonder if they will come any closer?...Check back to see!

- Erin

#50: Chainsaw Ultrasound Picture

2008-09-16T13:52:00.000-07:00

Here is the end result of months of training Chainsaw to hold in position to have an ultrasound performed. An earlier post showed Dr. Charlie Innis moving the ultrasound probe on Chainsaw's abdomen and and along her back as he adjusted the portable ultrasound machine. This picture is what Dr. Innis sees while he moves the probe. The dark kidney shaped spot at the top of the screen is....... a kidney!!! Training behaviors that focus on medical exams and diagnostic procedures- such as ultrasounds, x-rays, administering injections, and taking blood among others, are considered husbandry behaviors and are all very important to the well being of our animals.

-Rochelle

#49: Not so motivated

2008-09-14T06:06:00.001-07:00

Sometimes our seals aren't interested in eating. Here is a picture of Reggae with a herring tail hanging out of his mouth. He left it dangling in the wind for about a minute--I even tugged at it! This is a great example of a sign that your seal may not be super motivated. Looks like I'll have to find something more interesting than fish.

- Lindsay

#48: Move over Monet!

2008-09-14T05:50:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures taken the other day of Lana creating an original work of art. She has been trained to hold a square object that holds a paint brush and moves it back and forth on a canvas. Each seal has their own style. Lana tends to do big long brush strokes. Keep your eyes out for video of a painting session in the future!

- Justin

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#47: Enrichment = Play Time!

2008-09-11T14:07:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what the seals do when they aren't participating in training sessions? Well for one thing, they entertain each other. With seven Atlantic harbor seals, there is always a lot of activity in the exhibit! In addition, we offer them many different enrichment items throughout the day. Enrichment is another word for play time. It is a chance for us to give the seals something that they enjoy outside of our training sessions. You'll see fur seals in some of the pictures below. If you've been following our blog, you know that they are temporarily off site while we build a new exhibit.

Hose enrichment is a big hit with many of our animals. If they are interested in the hose, they tend to glide through and present the area of their body where they want to be sprayed. Some prefer a high pressure massage around their neck and back while others like a mist over their whiskers.

We also give the seals a wide variety of toys. Many of these are dog toys because they are made to be durable and withstand sharp canine teeth. The green toy in the picture was actually made for horses. For our animals use, we fill it with squid ice cubes. The hole that you see on the top of the toy will dispense the delicious squid treats as the seal pushes it around.

Ice toys, or "fishsicles" as some people call them, are definitely a seal favorite. Fishsicles are made by putting a dog toy and some fish in a bucket and adding water. We freeze it overnight and by the next day it is ready for the seals to enjoy! Sometimes we also attach a car wash strip like the blue one in the picture above. That way the toy stays in one place so we can watch the seals play! It also gives aquarium visitors an opportunity to participate. For more information on how you can help us enrich the seals, check out the link for the Play with the Seals program!

~Patty

#46: Fur Seal Update 3- Meeting the NYAq Trainers

2008-09-11T13:11:00.000-07:00

So, it hasn't been all fun and games down here. (Well that's a lie - with a job like this it's always fun). But seriously, while we have been getting the girls acclimated, we have also been introducing them to the trainers at the New York Aquarium (NYAq).

Since the fur seals will be in New York for about 1 year while their exhibit is under construction, the trainers at the NYAq will need to know everything about them. So during every training session, the trainers at NYAq accompany us, get to know the girls and learn their behaviors. Here you can see Belinda introducing Jaclyn to Ursula.

We are happy to say that this last week has been great and we are really happy with how the girls have settled in. Now that we spent some time in NY, it's time to see what has been going on back in Boston. See you there.

- Erin

#45: Fur Seal Update 2 - Enrichment

2008-09-10T13:13:00.000-07:00

Just because the girls are somewhere new, doesn't mean they don't get to enjoy the luxuries of home. While we are sure they will enjoy all of the great enrichment items NYAq has to offer, we brought a few of their favorite toys with them to help in the transition. Those items include a boomer ball, some car wash strips, a few rubber chew toys, and a few molds to make some fish-icles with.

Here, Chainsaw is checking out some fish-icles that Belinda has made. Yum!

That wasn't the only thing she checked out!

- Erin

#44: Fur Seal Update 1 - We Have Arrived!

2008-09-10T13:11:00.000-07:00

We are really happy to say that our three female Northern fur seals arrived safely at the New York Aquarium. All three went right into the water, have been eating well and been participating nicely in training sessions since then. Belinda, Rochelle and I stayed with they for a bit to help the seals acclimate to their new environment and trainers. So while I am happy to make this announcement to everyone in Boston, Cordova has been announcing their arrival to everyone in Brooklyn. Just listen to her:

Stay tuned for more updates.

-Erin

#43: Chainsaw's Ultrasound

2008-09-04T11:21:00.001-07:00

In this video you will see Chainsaw setting up nicely for our veterinary staff to take an ultrasound of her body. When she is on her back, or ventral up, we are looking at her liver. When she is sitting up we are looking at her kidney.

Setting up for an ultrasound is an example of a husbandry behavior that we train to make sure our animals are as healthy as possible.

-Rochelle

#42: Baranov's Trip Home

2008-09-04T10:40:00.000-07:00

Baranov on one of his favorite resting spots @ NEAq; a bridge that is about half as wide as he is

Baranov stayed with us in Boston for the past two months. We loved having him here, but like all good vacations, this one came to an end. Baranov's main training goal while he was here was kenneling, or going into his transport carrier on a signal. The day of the big move he kenneled without a hitch.

He was then transferred to a large air conditioned truck and surrounded by lots and lots of ice. We prefer our fur seals on the rocks, not shaken or stirred.

He remained comfortable during the two hour commute, but Cheryl and Patty who rode with him arrived in Connecticut with hands as cold as icicles. Once at the Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration he gladly followed Erin, one of his trainers, down into the exhibit and was greeted by Zhivago, another male northern fur seal.

It was a really smooth move and we're happy that Baranov has settled in so nicely.

We'll miss him!

-Justin

#41: New York Here We Come!

2008-08-26T14:49:00.000-07:00

Very soon we will be on the road to the New York Aquarium (NYAq). Before that happens, I wanted to give you an idea of what is really involved with moving the fur seals. I think you will be surprised to find it is very similar to how human beings travel.

So, while Belinda does some homework on our destination, I will tell you what we need before we go:

Travel Papers. Similar to how we need passports to travel, we need to get government documents stating that the fur seals can travel from one aquarium to another.

Insurance. Just like you (or your parents) carry medical insurance cards in case you have to see the doctor while you are gone, we have sent all of the fur seals' medical information to NYAq. That way the veterinary staff will know their history (like your doctor does) and can take the best possible care of them while they are there.

Travel Books. Some people like to bring travel books so that they can learn about their destination. What to see, where to eat, and what historical sites to see. The fur seals will also be traveling with books, but these books are for the trainers at the NYAq. They will help the trainers learn about these specific fur seals--what they know, what they eat, what they have done in the past

Transportation. How are you going to get there? When you are traveling, you want to get to your final destination as quickly as possible, but you also want to be practical. Lets face it, you are going to have some luggage. So if you are traveling nearby, you drive; if traveling far away, you fly. Same thing for fur seals. Since we are only going a few hours away, we will be driving down. But we will not be taking the family minivan - we have a truck. A big one. It's nice.

Luggage. What do you need to make your trip enjoyable? Our girls are packing the following: ice, ice, ice, and...oh yeah...ice. They like to travel cold. Brrr! They are also packing a few things which will help the trainers know more about them.

Travel Buddies. While you may travel by yourself, our fur seals do not. In addition to the three fur seals, there are seven people taking the trip. While each one has a specific role to play, everyone will be working to make sure the seals have a safe transport and a smooth transition to their new home.

Security. No trip is complete without the security check. Cordova, you are good to go!

So I think we are set. See you in New York!!
-Erin

#40: Fur Seals Are Moving!

2008-08-26T04:52:00.000-07:00

By this time next week, the fur seals will no longer be at the New England Aquarium...for a little while at least. Construction for the New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center is set to start soon with the hopes that it will be open for next summer. So in the meantime, the fur seals will head out of town. Baranov, our temporary summer resident, will be returning to the Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration, while the females, Chainsaw, Cordova, and Ursula will head to the New York Aquarium. While we will all miss them, we are looking forward to working with them again in the new exhibit. Stay tuned - we will be posting blogs on what it takes to move these seals. And for those of you who haven't been in to see the seals recently, buy your tickets now. See you soon!

Erin

#39: Behind the Scenes

2008-08-20T12:39:00.001-07:00

The marine mammals have space adjacent to their exhibit where they can warm up, cool down, sleep or just chill.

Since our visitors rarely have a chance to see these "behind the scenes" areas, here are a few candid shots. Today's focus is on fur seals since they'll be relocating soon while we make some exciting improvements to the exhibit.

Cordova is the first one awake this morning. Make that half awake.

What a yawn! The sound that comes out of Cordova's mouth is big too.

Cordova (left) and her mom Chainsaw dry and fuzzy. "Lights on" came a little too early for them today.

Patty chatting with Chainsaw before she begins the morning cleaning. It takes an hour in the morning to clean up what the fur seals leave behind over night. If you look closely at the first picture of Cordova, you'll see a pile of squid quills and beaks. These aren't nutritious and the fur seals have an interesting way of getting rid of them. They cough them up much like a cat with a hairball.

Just another day in the glamorous life of a marine mammal trainer!

Bon Appetite,

Jenny

#38: Crustacean Homecoming

2008-08-20T12:38:00.000-07:00

Cool picture of the day: Erin putting Chewie the lobster back into the exhibit with Chacoda and Amelia checking things out. I wonder what they're thinking...

-Justin

#37: Summer Camp

2008-08-18T14:22:00.000-07:00

Summer Camp Aquarium Style

When I was younger I went to summer camp. From what I remember there were mosquitoes, a really cold lake and raccoons that broke into my tent. There are many more summer camp options these days. This summer we have hosted the Aquarium's Harbor Discoveries Camp for a sneak peek behind the scenes of our exhibits.

Campers feeding Myrtle the green sea turtle.

Feeling Reggae's belly.

Observing seals having their teeth brushed.

This isn't your typical summer camp. Along with the usual smores eatin' and kumbaya-in' that they do on their overnight trips, these kids are also serious thinkers! The groups we hosted focused on animal husbandry and aquarium exhibit design. Along with in-depth discussions about animal care, we also found some time to have a couple of intimate encounters with the seals and Myrtle the green sea turtle.

-Justin

#36: Cleaning House

2008-08-13T08:42:00.000-07:00

One of the most important parts of a trainer's job is keeping the seals' environment clean and safe. However this doesn't just apply to the food prep areas or to the rocks that the seals haul out on. The trainers (and some of our SCUBA certified volunteers) dive in the front seal exhibit twice weekly to "clean house." First thing's first though.

We feed Chewie, our seventeen pound lobster. Though his diet varies, right now he's eating only shrimp. Next it's time to pick up the seal toys and take them topside where they'll be scrubbed and disinfected. In the warm, sunny weather algae grows very quickly in the exhibit. So our visitors can get a clear view of our harbor seals we take a soft, textured cloth and wipe off any algae that might be growing on the glass. Then it's time for the "dirty" work: vacuuming up all the loose algae, detritus (look it up!) and fecal matter that settles on the bottom of the tank. Even though it's a lot of work setting up and breaking down the vacuum and dive gear, the opportunity to spend a little time with the seals in their underwater home makes it all worth it.
Plus, you never know when you might find a little buried "treasure."

(In this cleaning session I found a whisker!)

-Paul

#35: Seal Eyes

2008-08-13T05:45:00.000-07:00

In this picture you can see a great shot of Chainsaw's eyes. Most would think that the mottled look to the eye ball is a bit odd. For Chainsaw, this is a genetic disorder which causes her to lose the pigment, or the color, of her eye. Originally a dark brown, over the years the eye color is fading away to a purple-whitish hue with some brown spots.

This genetic issue does not effect her eyesight in any way; the cataracts do that. Chainsaw has developed cataracts in both of her eyes that prevent her from seeing much at all. This is not a problem for a seal due to their ultra-sensitive whiskers, or vibrissae, which you can also see pointing forward in the photo. Vibrissae are a much longer subject, so look forward to a blog on that topic in the near future. 'Til then enjoy looking at Chainsaw's sweet face.

-Rochelle

#34: Molting Update

2008-08-12T08:12:00.000-07:00

The molting season is in full swing for the harbor seals. Here are some photos from the past few days of Smoke, our oldest harbor seal.

The brown areas are patches of old hair, the silver is all new stuff.

-Justin

#33: What's in a Name?

2008-07-30T11:02:00.000-07:00

Some may think that "Chainsaw" is an unusual name for a fur seal, much less a female fur seal. The reason behind the moniker is pretty simple though. Chainsaw was a stranded seal, which means she was found on a beach and was unable to take care of herself. In her case she was a very young pup when she was brought in. While being rehabilitated, or nursed back to health, she had the tendency to vocalize or "talk." When she did this she sounded like "a chainsaw revving up" so the nickname stuck. This video will give you a little taste of her vocal abilities:

-Rochelle

#32: Molting

2008-07-24T07:02:00.000-07:00

The air is warm, the sun is bright and the faint (and sometimes not so faint) aroma of sunbathing harbor seals fills the air. Summer is molting season. The harbor seals will lose their hair soon. No need for Rogaine or Propecia, though. Our seals will replace their lost hair on their own over a couple of weeks. Since the seals rely on their hair to protect their skin they need it to be in good condition, so their coat is replaced once a year. During this time they tend to spend more time out of the water. We call this "hauling out." Sunbathing promotes more blood flow to the skin and allows for a quick replacement of healthy hair. While they are molting their appetite decreases and they often aren't their usual spunky selves. Growing all new hair is hard work! By the end of August all of our harbor seals will have new glossy coats appropriate for any herbal shampoo commercial.

-Justin

#31: Flipper Stand part 2

2008-07-24T07:01:00.001-07:00

[new video coming soon...]

There are many different ways to train a behavior. Often a combination of approaches is good. It depends on how you and the animal you are working with interact and what is comfortable for both. I started training Cordova's flipper stand by asking her to touch her hind end to a target. After many trials and very little movement, I decided to give her something to put her hind end on. This didn't work very well. I should note that a great deal of time had been devoted to her keeping her hind end still for voluntary blood draws and vaccinations. Another idea was to ask her up onto something. Asking her up onto a step worked. I was able to touch her hind end as it came up with the target and reinforce the upward movement, but she still wasn't offering the upward movement to the target without the step. Cordova is an animal who enjoys being touched. I am now actually picking her hind end up trying to get her to brace her front flippers and support her weight up on them.

-Cheryl

#30: Voluntary Injection

2008-07-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

During the course of the year our harbor seals and fur seals receive several vaccines. Training the seals to accept these injections voluntarily takes time and lots of patience. Watch the video of Amelia receiving her West Nile Virus vaccine and you'll see that the result of all that time and patience is an animal that deals with needles better than most people that I know, myself included.

-Paul

#29: Seal Origins

2008-07-17T06:49:00.000-07:00

A lot of people ask us, "how did you get your seals?" This is a great question and allows us to tell the stories and backgrounds of our animals here. Five of the seven harbor seals were born here at the aquarium; Amelia and Trumpet were born in 1985, Reggae and Cayenne in 1993, and Chacoda in 1995. Smoke and Lana came in as stranded pups from the coast of Maine in 1971 and 1982 respectively.

Most seals are nursed back to health and released. Sometimes stranded seals have medical issues, such as chronic ear infections, that would reduce their chance of survival after release. Others become too accustomed to people and can get in trouble by approaching people or their pets.

Three of the fur seals, Cordova, Ursula and Baranov were born at other aquariums. Chainsaw was found stranded as a pup off the coast of Washington.

Follow the links on each seal's name to see all the blog entries about each animal.

-Lindsay

#28: Swimming With Seals

2008-07-15T07:56:00.000-07:00

There is no doubt that marine mammals are adorable. They look so sweet and gentle; you just want to run up and give them a little squeeze. After all, what's the harm in walking up to a seal on the beach, or tossing a fish to a sea lion in the ocean? How about letting the dog play with one of them-they are playful, curious creatures, right? A lot of people are surprised to hear that it is dangerous for us and our pets to approach a wild seal. These animals have very sharp, bacteria covered teeth. Seals will bite if they are frightened, surrounded, cornered or sick. Seals can carry many different diseases such as rabies, that can be transferred to other mammals. More people are shocked when they hear that it is illegal in the US to come within 150 feet of a wild marine mammal, as stated in the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Harassing, feeding, touching, even swimming with wild seals puts THEM in danger. Observing these amazing creatures is an awesome experience, just be sure to do it from a distance.

If you see a seal that is injured or in distress, keep people and dogs away, then call your local aquarium. For more information about seal rescue, check out the Aquarium's Marine Animal Rescue Program.

-Lindsay