Aquarium of the Podcific

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Madeline and Erin sit down with Aquarists Jackie Simpson and Emily Smith to explore one of the most fascinating and underappreciated parts of animal care at the Aquarium of the Pacific: target training. You might picture sea lions doing flips or birds following a hand signal, but target training reaches far deeper into the aquarium than most guests ever realize. From zebra sharks to tiny puffers, every animal at the Aquarium engages with its environment in ways shaped by the people who care for them. In this episode: What target training actually is and why it matters for animal health and welfare How fish and invertebrates are trained differently from marine mammals and birds The story of Nandor the zebra shark, who figured out target training all on his own How Fern the zebra shark swims herself into the husbandry pool on cue The octopus who learned to sit on the edge of the basket instead of climbing in Freddie the Queensland grouper and how his target moved from the surface to a diver's chest What it looks like to target train archerfish using their own natural behavior Why sharks are actually pretty timid animals and what would really happen if you fell in the tank How Jackie and Emily found their way to the Aquarium of the Pacific and what they'd tell aspiring aquarists Get involved: Support the Aquarium of the Pacific, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, at pacific.to/donate . Your membership and donations make care like this possible every single day. Episode resources: Transcript Michael the parrotfish enjoying his favorite snack, cilantro Learn more about animal care at the Aquarium of the Pacific Stay connected: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you are subscribed to Aquarium of the Podcific wherever you are listening, and leave us a five-star review! It goes a long way in helping new listeners find the show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Email us at podcific@lbaop.org ! Follow the Aquarium of the Pacific across social media ( @aquariumpacific ) for fun animal videos, conservation updates, and more. Follow the podcast's own Instagram ( @podcific ) for episode updates and behind-the-scenes content. Thanks for listening!

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Amanda Torres joins Madeline and Erin to pull back the curtain on what it actually takes to care for one of the Aquarium's most specialized and climate-controlled exhibits, the Diving Birds habitat, introduces us to the full cast of clownish characters, and answers the question everyone has been asking: are they penguins? (Spoiler alert, no!) In this episode: Amanda's path at the Aquarium from education intern to mammologist and diving bird caretaker What alcids are, what makes them remarkable, and how the Aquarium's flock is structured across tufted puffins, horned puffins, and pigeon guillemots The engineering behind the exhibit: Alaska-based daylight simulation, reverse air pressure, and water temperatures cold enough to require an 8mm wetsuit How behavioral training has transformed the way staff monitor and care for individual birds, including weekly weigh-ins and voluntary medication delivery The Alcid Rodeo: the annual drain-down, full flock physicals, and what 14 to 16 hours of coordinated bird wrangling actually looks like Individual puffin personalities, including Elmer (enthusiastic, 27-plus years old, does not slow down), Brownie (polite), Pumpkin (excited but discerning), and the Nia and Monty situation Relationship dynamics across the flock, including Heff, Daisy, and the pigeon guillemot drama Puffin conservation status and the threats of climate change, ocean plastic, and introduced predators Episode resources: Episode transcript Learn more about alcids in our Online Learning Center Tufted puffins Horned puffins Pigeon guillemot Stay connected: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you are subscribed to Aquarium of the Podcific wherever you are listening, and leave us a five-star review! It goes a long way in helping new listeners find the show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Email us at podcific@lbaop.org ! Follow the Aquarium of the Pacific across social media ( @aquariumpacific ) for fun animal videos, conservation updates, and more. Follow the podcast's own Instagram ( @podcific ) for episode updates and behind-the-scenes content. Thanks for listening!

Send us Fan Mail If you see oiled wildlife, call the OWCN 24-hour hotline: 1-877-UCD-OWCN (1-877-823-6926) Frankie Lill coordinates wildlife oil spill response for the entire state of California. She also used to work with us, and is making this podcast cooler by the second. In this episode, she breaks down how the Oiled Wildlife Care Network mobilizes within hours of a spill, what it really takes to rehabilitate an oiled bird, why blue dish soap is still the MVP after decades of research, and reminisces on her past work (of being a social media SUPERSTAR) at the Aquarium of the Pacific. In this episode: Frankie's aviculturist background at the Aquarium of the Pacific and her role as Wildlife Planning Specialist on the OWCN team How OWCN was created in response to catastrophic spills in the late 1980s and early 1990s The four R's of OWCN's work: readiness, response, reaching out, and research What happens when a spill is activated, from the planning meeting to boots on the ground within two hours The full care journey of an oiled bird: field capture, stabilization, intake and processing, pre-wash care, washing, conditioning, waterproofing, and release Why inland oil spills are more common than most people realize How the network prepares responders for every species Get involved: Learn about OWCN and find member organizations If you see oiled wildlife, call the OWCN 24-hour hotline: 1-877-UCD-OWCN (1-877-823-6926) Episode resources: Aquarium Staff Lend a Helping Hand to Oiled Seabirds in Ventura County Aquarium Staff Members Helped Rescue Animals Affected by the Oil Spill Aquarium Aids in Rescue Effort to Save Baby Seabirds Beautiful turban snail video Episode photo cover courtesy of OWCN/UC Davis Stay connected: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you are subscribed to Aquarium of the Podcific wherever you are listening, and leave us a five-star review! It goes a long way in helping new listeners find the show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Email us at podcific@lbaop.org ! Follow the Aquarium of the Pacific across social media ( @aquariumpacific ) for fun animal videos, conservation updates, and more. Follow the podcast's own Instagram ( @podcific ) for episode updates and behind-the-scenes content. Thanks for listening!

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Madeline and Erin sit down with Jeff Flocken, President and CEO of the Aquarium of the Pacific, for his first podcast appearance since joining the institution. Jeff shares the winding path that brought him here, from studying giraffes in Africa, to law school, to nearly two decades of global wildlife policy work, and what it felt like to trade policy campaigns for waders in the San Gabriel River. We also hear the full story of Porkchop, the Aquarium's three-flippered green sea turtle, from her rescue and rehabilitation to her release back into the river she calls home. In this episode: Jeff's path from field research and law school to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Humane Society International, and the Aquarium of the Pacific The campaign to list African lions as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act The Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders program (EWCL), what it is, how it works, and why Jeff co-founded it 20 years ago Erin's connection to the program as a member of the 11th class Jeff's first impressions of the Aquarium and the conservation work already underway Porkchop's rescue from the San Gabriel River, her year of rehabilitation at the Aquarium, and her release What it felt like for Jeff, a career policy advocate, to release an animal into the wild for the first time The Aquarium's current conservation programs: white abalone, sunflower sea stars, sea otter surrogacy, coral restoration, bull kelp, zebra sharks, monarch butterflies, mountain yellow-legged frogs, and more Jeff's conservation dream: sea otters reclaiming their historic range from Alaska to Mexico The animated short film Save Ralph, and how it helped pass cosmetic animal testing bans in four countries within a year Jeff's wildlife hero: Dr. Jane Goodall Chewbacca, Jeff's golden retriever, a rescue from a dog meat farm in South Korea Get involved: Southern California Sea Turtle Monitoring Program : first Saturday of each month, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Los Cerritos Wetlands monthly cleanup Donate to the Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center NOAA's Sea Turtle Stranding Hotline: 562-506-4315 Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders (aka EWCL) Watch "Save Ralph" , Humane Society International’s global campaign to ban animal testing for cosmetics Stay connected: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you are subscribed to Aquarium of the Podcific wherever you are listening, and leave us a five-star review! It goes a long way in helping new listeners find the show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Email us at podcific@lbaop.org ! Follow the Aquarium of the Pacific across social media ( @aquariumpacific ) for fun animal videos, conservation updates, and more. Follow the podcast's own Instagram ( @podcific ) for episode updates and behind-the-scenes content. Thanks for listening!

Send us Fan Mail Get ready to feel some eelings. In this episode of Aquarium of the Podcific, Aquarist Heidi takes listeners on a deep dive into the wonderfully weird world of eels, from “true” eels and their tube-sock vibes to the grandpa-faced wolf eels that only look like the real deal. Episode resources: ⁠⁠⁠Transcript⁠⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠⁠@podcific⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram! Email us at podcific@lbaop.org ⁠⁠⁠⁠Brooke’s Rockfish Survey Trip + Vlog Dragon Eel Stay connected: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you are subscribed to Aquarium of the Podcific wherever you are listening, and leave us a five-star review! It goes a long way in helping new listeners find the show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Email us at podcific@lbaop.org ! Follow the Aquarium of the Pacific across social media ( @aquariumpacific ) for fun animal videos, conservation updates, and more. Follow the podcast's own Instagram ( @podcific ) for episode updates and behind-the-scenes content. Thanks for listening!

Send us Fan Mail Happy Halloween! In this episode from October 2024, Aquarium staff tell spooky stories of situations that can and can't be explained. ⁠Episode Transcript Stay connected: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you are subscribed to Aquarium of the Podcific wherever you are listening, and leave us a five-star review! It goes a long way in helping new listeners find the show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Email us at podcific@lbaop.org ! Follow the Aquarium of the Pacific across social media ( @aquariumpacific ) for fun animal videos, conservation updates, and more. Follow the podcast's own Instagram ( @podcific ) for episode updates and behind-the-scenes content. Thanks for listening!

Send us Fan Mail From milkweed munching caterpillars to stunning orange-winged travelers, learn why monarch butterflies are important and how you can help support these iconic pollinators in your own backyard. Animal Care Specialist Heather Cameron and Conservation Volunteer Coordinator Dawn Nygren- Burkert are here to teach us all about butterfly royalty. Episode resources: ⁠⁠Transcript⁠⁠ Follow ⁠⁠@podcific⁠⁠ on Instagram! Email us at podcific@lbaop.org ⁠ Learn more about the North American Monarch Monitoring Project Stay connected: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you are subscribed to Aquarium of the Podcific wherever you are listening, and leave us a five-star review! It goes a long way in helping new listeners find the show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Email us at podcific@lbaop.org ! Follow the Aquarium of the Pacific across social media ( @aquariumpacific ) for fun animal videos, conservation updates, and more. Follow the podcast's own Instagram ( @podcific ) for episode updates and behind-the-scenes content. Thanks for listening!

Send us Fan Mail Brooke Hernandez joins us today to discuss Our Living Coastline, the Aquarium's newest touch exhibit! Get the inside scoop on how this immersive, accessible habitat came to life and why it’s a must-see. Acronym Key: OLC: Our Living Coastline GPO: Giant Pacific octopus AOP: Aquarium of the Pacific AZA: Association of Zoos and Aquariums Episode resources: ⁠Transcript⁠ Follow ⁠@podcific⁠ on Instagram! Email us at podcific@lbaop.org Learn more about Our Living Coastline Brooke’s Rockfish Survey Trip + Vlog Crab Construction Stay connected: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you are subscribed to Aquarium of the Podcific wherever you are listening, and leave us a five-star review! It goes a long way in helping new listeners find the show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Email us at podcific@lbaop.org ! Follow the Aquarium of the Pacific across social media ( @aquariumpacific ) for fun animal videos, conservation updates, and more. Follow the podcast's own Instagram ( @podcific ) for episode updates and behind-the-scenes content. Thanks for listening!

Send us Fan Mail We know we've been gone for so long, but it's for a good reason! Catch up on all of the amazing conservation the Aquarium has done this year with Johanna Hultberg, Conservation Manager of Fish & Invertebrates. Episode resources: Transcript Follow @podcific on Instagram! Email us at podcific@lbaop.org Tidewater gobies news story Learn more about the Aquarium's conservation efforts on our website Stay connected: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you are subscribed to Aquarium of the Podcific wherever you are listening, and leave us a five-star review! It goes a long way in helping new listeners find the show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Email us at podcific@lbaop.org ! Follow the Aquarium of the Pacific across social media ( @aquariumpacific ) for fun animal videos, conservation updates, and more. Follow the podcast's own Instagram ( @podcific ) for episode updates and behind-the-scenes content. Thanks for listening!

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode features Robin Riggs, a charter volunteer and photographer at the Aquarium of the Pacific. Robin, who has been volunteering since before the Aquarium opened, captures stunning images of our animals. She discusses her transition from film to digital photography, the challenges of photographing animals in various exhibits, and the importance of animal welfare. Episode resources: Follow @podcific on Instagram! Transcript 25th Anniversary Staff Photo Contest Winners Photographers Night (join us every October!) Stay connected: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you are subscribed to Aquarium of the Podcific wherever you are listening, and leave us a five-star review! It goes a long way in helping new listeners find the show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Email us at podcific@lbaop.org ! Follow the Aquarium of the Pacific across social media ( @aquariumpacific ) for fun animal videos, conservation updates, and more. Follow the podcast's own Instagram ( @podcific ) for episode updates and behind-the-scenes content. Thanks for listening!

Send us Fan Mail Documentary Filmmaker Chris Stanford joins us to discuss his film, "Love and Life Beyond the Glass". The film showcases the relationship between staff and sea lions and plays daily in the Aquarium's Honda Pacific Visions Theater. “This film shows what we do here at the Aquarium… Our staff and animals are the heart and soul of this place,” said Dr. Peter Kareiva, Aquarium of the Pacific president and CEO. Episode resources: Follow @podcific on Instagram! Transcript "Love & Life Beyond the Glass" Info Trailer Sea Turtle Release Commercial Loggerhead Release Stay connected: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you are subscribed to Aquarium of the Podcific wherever you are listening, and leave us a five-star review! It goes a long way in helping new listeners find the show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Email us at podcific@lbaop.org ! Follow the Aquarium of the Pacific across social media ( @aquariumpacific ) for fun animal videos, conservation updates, and more. Follow the podcast's own Instagram ( @podcific ) for episode updates and behind-the-scenes content. Thanks for listening!

Send us Fan Mail Dr. Lance Adams, Director of Veterinary Services at the Aquarium of the Pacific, discusses his 20+ year tenure and the diverse responsibilities of his role, including preventative care, quarantine, and managing over 12,000 animals. Episode resources: Follow @podcific on Instagram! Transcript Hyperbaric chamber video Veterinary Assistant Internship Veterinary Externship - Preceptorship Program Crab prosthetic story Donate to help us save sea turtles! Stay connected: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you are subscribed to Aquarium of the Podcific wherever you are listening, and leave us a five-star review! It goes a long way in helping new listeners find the show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Email us at podcific@lbaop.org ! Follow the Aquarium of the Pacific across social media ( @aquariumpacific ) for fun animal videos, conservation updates, and more. Follow the podcast's own Instagram ( @podcific ) for episode updates and behind-the-scenes content. Thanks for listening!

Send us Fan Mail The Aquarium’s CELP (Community, Equity, Learning, Persistence) Scholar Program seeks to broaden participation in marine sciences, help more students find their own community in STEM, and support students’ persistence in the field. This episode features Alie LeBeau, our Director of STEM Pathway Initiatives, and Leslie Nguyen, an Animal Care Specialist. Both Alie and Leslie are integral parts of the development of this scholarship and share more information on the program. To learn more about our CELP Scholar Program, please visit pacific.to/celp The Aquarium believes everyone is welcome in the work we do and strives to cultivate a workforce that reflects the diverse communities in which it is situated. Applicants of any race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status are welcome. Additional resources: CELP Scholar Informational Webinar 2024 2024 Scholar Symposium – CELP Scholar Lightning Talks Support the CELP Scholar Program Episode Transcript Stay connected: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you are subscribed to Aquarium of the Podcific wherever you are listening, and leave us a five-star review! It goes a long way in helping new listeners find the show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Email us at podcific@lbaop.org ! Follow the Aquarium of the Pacific across social media ( @aquariumpacific ) for fun animal videos, conservation updates, and more. Follow the podcast's own Instagram ( @podcific ) for episode updates and behind-the-scenes content. Thanks for listening!

Send us Fan Mail Happy Halloween! In this episode, Aquarium staff tell spooky stories of situations that can and can't be explained. Episode Transcript Stay connected: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you are subscribed to Aquarium of the Podcific wherever you are listening, and leave us a five-star review! It goes a long way in helping new listeners find the show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Email us at podcific@lbaop.org ! Follow the Aquarium of the Pacific across social media ( @aquariumpacific ) for fun animal videos, conservation updates, and more. Follow the podcast's own Instagram ( @podcific ) for episode updates and behind-the-scenes content. Thanks for listening!

Send us Fan Mail Did you know our crabs get burped? Now you do! It's time to burp the crabs and also listen to Aquarist Melissa talk about the Aquarium's spider crabs. Thank you for another fun season of Aquarium of the Podcific! Follow @podcific on Instagram for updates and more. We'll sea you soon! Episode transcript Stay connected: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you are subscribed to Aquarium of the Podcific wherever you are listening, and leave us a five-star review! It goes a long way in helping new listeners find the show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Email us at podcific@lbaop.org ! Follow the Aquarium of the Pacific across social media ( @aquariumpacific ) for fun animal videos, conservation updates, and more. Follow the podcast's own Instagram ( @podcific ) for episode updates and behind-the-scenes content. Thanks for listening!

Send us Fan Mail Aviculturist Ashley is back to update us on the latest shenanigans of the Aquarium's bird residents in a series we like to call "The Young and the Nestless". This is a "Low Tide" episode! It's more relaxed, shorter, and maybe even a little sillier than normal. Enjoy! Episode Transcript Stay connected: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you are subscribed to Aquarium of the Podcific wherever you are listening, and leave us a five-star review! It goes a long way in helping new listeners find the show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Email us at podcific@lbaop.org ! Follow the Aquarium of the Pacific across social media ( @aquariumpacific ) for fun animal videos, conservation updates, and more. Follow the podcast's own Instagram ( @podcific ) for episode updates and behind-the-scenes content. Thanks for listening!

Send us Fan Mail We are often asked how to start a career in animal care, and today we are giving insight into traditional and non-traditional pathways to working in this amazing field. Spoiler alert: it’s a lot of hard but rewarding work. Brett Long, Senior Director of Birds/Amphibians/Mammals, joins us to share advice and stories from his decades-long career in animal care and husbandry. Episode Transcript Stay connected: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you are subscribed to Aquarium of the Podcific wherever you are listening, and leave us a five-star review! It goes a long way in helping new listeners find the show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Email us at podcific@lbaop.org ! Follow the Aquarium of the Pacific across social media ( @aquariumpacific ) for fun animal videos, conservation updates, and more. Follow the podcast's own Instagram ( @podcific ) for episode updates and behind-the-scenes content. Thanks for listening!

Send us Fan Mail BORK! It's time to learn about sea lions! Mammalogist Erin Bell joins us today to talk to us about these majestic and sometimes (usually) silly animals. To report a live marine mammal in need, call the Marine Mammal Care Center’s toll-free hotline at 1-800-39-WHALE. (1-800-399-4253) TikTok: Who is the loudest sea lion? Seals & Sea Lions Animal Encounters at the Aquarium of the Pacific Episode Transcript Stay connected: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you are subscribed to Aquarium of the Podcific wherever you are listening, and leave us a five-star review! It goes a long way in helping new listeners find the show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Email us at podcific@lbaop.org ! Follow the Aquarium of the Pacific across social media ( @aquariumpacific ) for fun animal videos, conservation updates, and more. Follow the podcast's own Instagram ( @podcific ) for episode updates and behind-the-scenes content. Thanks for listening!

Send us Fan Mail Enrichment is the word of the week! We are joined by two animal enrichment experts, Alex Lasser-Gold and Alex Bohardt, aka Mammal Alex and Fish Alex. Lasser-Gold (Mammal Alex) is a Mammalogist II and Enrichment Coordinator, and Bohardt (Fish Alex) is our Manager of Aquatic Sustainability. Both have extensive knowledge of enrichment for animals that live above water, below water, and those that spend time in between. Episode Transcript Stay connected: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you are subscribed to Aquarium of the Podcific wherever you are listening, and leave us a five-star review! It goes a long way in helping new listeners find the show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Email us at podcific@lbaop.org ! Follow the Aquarium of the Pacific across social media ( @aquariumpacific ) for fun animal videos, conservation updates, and more. Follow the podcast's own Instagram ( @podcific ) for episode updates and behind-the-scenes content. Thanks for listening!

Send us Fan Mail Everyone is talking about axolotls, but what exactly are these fascinating animals, and how do we care for them? We are joined by Animal Care Specialist America Sahagun who cares for our axolotl squad at the Aquarium to discuss these "water dogs" We also discuss our newest exhibit, FROGS: Facing a Changing World , which is open now! Episode Transcript Stay connected: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you are subscribed to Aquarium of the Podcific wherever you are listening, and leave us a five-star review! It goes a long way in helping new listeners find the show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Email us at podcific@lbaop.org ! Follow the Aquarium of the Pacific across social media ( @aquariumpacific ) for fun animal videos, conservation updates, and more. Follow the podcast's own Instagram ( @podcific ) for episode updates and behind-the-scenes content. Thanks for listening!