Okay, let's dive right into the wet and wild world of my former afternoon zookeeper life! Following my morning escapades with the primates (ICYMI, you can catch that hairy tale in my previous post!), the scene shifted to the ever-entertaining sea lion exhibit. Get ready for splashing good times, fishy breath, and a whole lot of personality! Our afternoon routine centered around engaging the public with lively training sessions and, of course, the always-popular feeding frenzy.
First things first, the sacred fish buckets! Forget your sad desk lunch, these buckets were filled with the good stuff – herring, capelin, you name it. But it wasn't a free-for-all; each sea lion had their own dietary VIP list, dictated by their weight and meticulously noted on our charts. So, with the precise portions prepped and my fellow keepers geared up, we made our grand entrance to the poolside.
"To the wall!" we'd call, and like furry torpedoes, our sea lion crew would zoom to their designated "station." Stationing is like animal kindergarten – the essential "sit and stay" of the zoo world. Then the real fun began! Each sea lion had their own personalized training agenda. One of our girls needed eye drops (those bright sea lion eyes are super sensitive to light changes, poor dears!), so with a gentle call onto the deck, she'd adorably target her mouth to my fist, making the application a breeze. Talk about a cooperative patient!
Beyond the basics, our training sessions were like Cirque du Soleil for conservation. We'd work on behaviors that made vet check-ups a cinch – graceful swims on cue, flipper presentations for mock blood draws. It was all about proactive care disguised as awesome tricks!
Once the last fish was flung and our buckets were lighter, it was enrichment extravaganza time! Think icy delights and bouncy buoys tossed into the pool. Watching those sleek bodies zoom and leap, investigating their new toys with gusto, was pure joy. Seriously, the best.
Now, about that burning question: sea lion vs. seal? Drumroll, please… Sea lions boast adorable external ear flaps, while seals are all smooth on the sides. Another cool clue? Sea lions are the land-lubbing champions, able to hinge their back flippers and waddle around like they own the place. Seals? They're more the belly-flopping, wiggle-worm type on land. So next zoo visit, impress your pals with your newfound knowledge!
But our keeper duties weren't done with the last splash. Nope, it was binder time! Every detail of our session was logged – who ate what, how they responded, what we worked on, any meds given. Then came the less glamorous but essential task: scrubbing those fishy buckets and tidying up the behind-the-scenes areas. Trust me, that fish aroma becomes your Eau de Parfum for the day!
With the logs complete and the fish funk (mostly) contained, it was onward to the next zoo adventure! Stick with me, folks, because this journey from wide-eyed zoo student to seasoned keeper and beyond into the veterinary realm is just getting started. Primates and pinnipeds were just the beginning!
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