Archive for the ‘Sea Lions’ Category

Sea Lions Pick the Winners of the Final Four!

Posted by in Animal Info,Marine Mammals,Sea Lions

 

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is taking over the city of Houston this weekend for the Final Four! Our sea lions here at the Houston Zoo have joined in the celebration by making their selections of who the game’s winners will be. They had a pretty great track record during the Sweet Sixteen, selecting some upsets such as Butler and Kentucky (see here for the full details).

Our sea lion Kamia has picked the winners of the two Final Four games taking place in Houston this Saturday. Watch the video below to see her sink a few baskets and announce her picks.

Do you love watching the sea lions in action? If so, don’t forget that there is an entertaining and dynamic sea lion show every day here at 11 am and 2:30 pm that is FREE with your Zoo admission. You can also schedule a special behind the scenes look at sea lions, and if you’re lucky, you may even get a sea lion kiss!

Houston Zoo Sea Lions Pick NCAA Tournament Winners!

Posted by in Sea Lions

You’ve heard of weather-predicting groundhogs and maybe even a psychic octopus, but none can compare to our infallible sea lions!

In honor of the Final Four NCAA basketball tournament that will take place in Houston this year, we’re celebrating March Madness Houston Zoo style with the help of Cali and Kamia, two of our sea lions living here at the Zoo. They have considered all the stats and made their picks for the 2011 Tournament.

Track their success right here as March Madness continues. You can see their Sweet Sixteen picks below.

Check out this video of them making selections for the winners of the Sweet Sixteen!

And don’t forget that you can support our sea lions and any of your other favorite Zoo animals at http://www.houstonzoo.org/adopt/.

The sea lion picks are in bold:

Kentucky vs. Ohio State
Marquette vs. North Carolina
Duke vs. Arizona
UCONN vs. San Diego State
Kansas vs. Richmond
VCU vs. Florida State
Butler vs. Wisconsin
BYU vs. Florida

Visit http://www.ncaa.com/brackets/basketball-men/d1/2011 to keep up with the latest game results. Keep checking back for their Final Four selections!

Baja Escape with the Houston Zoo

Posted by in Conservation,Mammals,Marine Mammals,Sea Lions

Are you looking for a fantastic experience that will satisfy both your sense of adventure and your desire to learn about and conserve wildlife?  Have you explored the Zoo Travel Program  link under the Conserve Wildlife  tab on our website?  Here you will literally find a world of opportunity for exploring new territories, both near and far.  A staff member from the Houston Zoo accompanies each trip and we are joined by guides at the various destinations that are experts on the areas in which they live and work.  The zoo’s conservation department works hard to establish on-going relationships in the areas we visit which affords zoo groups that oft sought after “inside scoop” on the animals and ecosystems.

One of the most understated, yet biologically diverse areas to be found anywhere is right in our own backyard in Baja California, Mexico. When someone mentions biological diversity most people think of the Amazon, or the Serengeti.  But the Sea of Cortez, which separates the Baja peninsula from mainland Mexico, is one of the most biologically rich areas on the planet.  The Sea of Cortez contains a series of small islands, many of which are home to species of reptiles and cactus that are endemic only to each particular island.  The waters of the area are perhaps most famous as the calving grounds of grey whales but they also teem with many other whale and dolphin species, birds, manta rays, whale sharks , and my personal favorites, California sea lions.

Our Baja Escape  scheduled for December 10th – 15th offers the opportunity to explore the Sea of Cortez aboard a National Geographic ship.  The ship is small which allows it to navigate the waterways in the Sea of Cortez.  A smaller ship means fewer guests so you’ll have ample opportunity to interact with the National Geographic biologists aboard.  The ship also boasts an ‘open bridge’ which means guests are free to visit the bridge and see what it takes to navigate a ship through challenging waterways.

We’ll have time not only for drinking in show-stopping sunsets and whale watching from the ship’s deck but also for hiking, kayaking and zodiac trips around the islands that we visit.  Of course the part I am most looking forward to is snorkeling with the sea lion residents on Islas Los Islotes.  This group of sea lions is well used to having humans snorkeling around their home beaches and the youngsters often come out to see what these awkward masked and flippered creatures are up to.

This is truly a destination that rivals anywhere on the planet for beauty and wildlife viewing opportunities so check out the links above and book your adventure to Baja and the stunning crystal blue Sea of Cortez.

Astro’s message

Posted by in Animal Info,Mammals,Marine Mammals,Sea Lions

That's Astro on the right snoozing with his friends Cali & Kamia

Since our cute sea lion pup, Astro, is the picture of the day it seems like a good time to remind everyone that the carelessness of humans can cause problems for the wildlife that many of us love and respect.  It’s easy to see the scar on Astro’s neck.  Fortunately the original wound has healed completely, leaving only the scar, but Astro’s wound could have been prevented.  It was caused by him becoming entangled in marine debris.  Marine debris is any man made item that ends up in the ocean instead of the trash.  In Astro’s case it was probably fishing line that someone left at the beach instead of cleaning up after themselves.

Fortunately for Astro he was rescued and found a home at the Houston Zoo where he helps us educate people about this problem.

The good news is that it’s easy for all of us to do our part to help!  Never leave trash for anyone else to clean up, including fishing line and food containers that you might take to the beach with you.  Try putting your lunch in reusable containers and toting it along in a reusable bag.  The less trash you generate the less you have to clean up!  Easy!

Photo of the Day: May 7

Posted by in Marine Mammals,Photo of the Day,Sea Lions

Astro the California Sea Lion

Sea Lion-Astro-1

Photo of the Day: May 6

Posted by in Marine Mammals,Photo of the Day,Sea Lions,Training

Sea Lion Training with Astro

Sea Lion Training-Astro-1

Photo of the Day: May 5

Posted by in Marine Mammals,Photo of the Day,Sea Lions

Sea Lion Show

Sea Lion Show-0001

Members of the Sea.I.A…Well, Almost

Posted by in Featured,Mammals,Marine Mammals,Sea Lions

Okay, so we’ve all heard of Navy SEALS…but how about Navy…Sea Lions? That’s right, while Deano, Cali, Kamia, and their soon-to-be-named new friend swim and play here at the Houston Zoo, their far-off sea lion cousins are working as highly trained members of the Navy Marine Mammal Program.

Click On My Photo To Vote For My Name

Click On My Photo To Vote For My Name

So what do they do for the U.S. Navy? Sea lions recover pieces of Navy hardware from the ocean floor and reattach them to the machinery from which they originated. Preventing unauthorized trespasses onto and around piers, harbors, and ships comprise the majority of their work. It’s important to note that these animals are never used to attack or confront trespassers.

Much of the work these animals do has replaced the work of human divers. Due to their exceptional underwater eyesight, hearing, and, or course, swimming capabilities, sea lions can endure the murky, tumultuous underwater environment of the ocean much more comfortably and efficiently than people.

Extremely High IQ

Extremely High IQ

Another important reason as to why sea lions are the animal of choice for such extensive endeavors is that they have an extremely high intelligence level. Some studies have found evidence that these animals may have the ability to reason logically, making it relatively effortless to train them when compared to other less adept species.

The Navy Marine Mammal Program Foundation specializes in working to better understand the nutrition, behavior, ecology, and physiology of these animals in order to generate greater public awareness of their lifestyle and of the importance of their species being protected.

*Our Species of The Week Contributor is Stefanie Hanselka

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