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

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Labels: Chainsaw, Husbandry behavior, Rochelle, Ultrasound

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

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Labels: Chainsaw, enrichment, Erin, New York Aquarium, Northern Fur Seal

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Labels: Chainsaw, Husbandry behavior, Northern Fur Seal, Rochelle, Video

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

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Labels: Bill, Chainsaw, Cordova, Dr. Charlie, Erin, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northern Fur Seal, transport, Ursula

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

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Labels: Baranov, Chainsaw, Cordova, Erin, Marine Mammal Exhibit, Northern Fur Seal, transport, Ursula

Labels: behind the scenes, Chainsaw, cleaning, Cordova, Jenny, Northern Fur Seal, Patty

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

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Labels: cataract, Chainsaw, Rochelle, whiskers

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

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Labels: behavior, Chainsaw, Rochelle, Video

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Labels: Chainsaw, Husbandry behavior, Northern Fur Seal, Paul, Video

Northern fur seals have one of the densest fur coats in the world. There are up to 300,000 hairs per square inch on their bodies. Here are two pictures of the same fur seal, Chainsaw, when she is dry and wet. They look incredibly different sometimes. When they are dry they are so soft and fuzzy, when wet they're smooth and sleek.

-Justin

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Labels: Chainsaw, Justin, Northern Fur Seal