SEAWORLD 'INSIDE LOOK' PROGRAM OFFERS EXCLUSIVE BEHIND-THE-SCENES ACCESS TO SEE AND LEARN MORE ABOUT EXPERT ANIMAL CARE
SeaWorld has launched the annual Inside Look program, allowing guests to explore behind-the-scenes animal care at its parks in Orlando, San Antonio, and San Diego. Running on select weekends in January, the program is included in regular park admission. Guests will engage with animal care specialists and learn about marine mammal care, rescue efforts, veterinary science, and feeding practices. SeaWorld is committed to high standards of animal welfare, supported by accreditations from the USDA and other organizations. The initiative aims to inspire conservation efforts among visitors.
- Launch of Inside Look program, enhancing guest experience and education.
- Opportunity to showcase SeaWorld's commitment to animal care and welfare.
- Accredited by USDA and other agencies, reinforcing its credibility in animal welfare.
- None.
ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SeaWorld today announced the start of Inside Look, an annual experience that brings guests behind-the-scenes to learn more about animal care at one of the world's foremost zoological organizations, visiting places and meeting people not generally available to the public. The event runs on select weekends in January at SeaWorld Orlando, San Antonio, and San Diego parks. Inside Look experiences are included in regular park admission fees.
"At SeaWorld, we are just as passionate about what we do behind the scenes as what guests see when they come to the park," said Marc Swanson, Chief Executive Officer of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Inc. "Inside Look is our opportunity to show guests what goes into delivering exceptional care to our animals and how what we learn from them here can help protect and preserve their species in the wild. This experience will also show guests our heart – and we hope it inspires others to act for the protection of the world's animals and their environments."
"As the oldest and largest certifier of humane treatment of animals, we are thrilled that SeaWorld is bringing guests behind the scenes for an 'Inside Look' at their world-class operations and how their animals are cared for and protected," said Dr. Robin Ganzert, President and CEO of American Humane. "Educating the public about the need for conservation, in which SeaWorld is a pioneer, is the first in many steps to preventing species extinction."
Each SeaWorld Park will offer some combination of the following experiences as part of Inside Look:
- Inside Marine Mammal Care: Experience a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to care for cetaceans, sea lions and whales from feeding at the fish house to a poolside encounter led by animal care specialists. With this experience, guests can better understand the role that learned animal behaviors play in wellness checks and see the team applying those behaviors to perform vital health examinations with the animals in their care.
- Inside SeaWorld Rescue Center: Visit the home base of the SeaWorld Rescue Team to meet and hear from the dedicated filtration experts, animal care personnel, lab technicians, and veterinarians who work around the clock to deliver life-saving care to animals in need. Guests can learn more about SeaWorld's five-acre Rescue Center in Orlando that has the capacity to care for hundreds of animals including up to 40 manatees at a time -- one of the largest spaces available. SeaWorld's Rescue Teams have come to the aid of more than 39,000 sick, injured, and orphaned animals in need, giving them a second chance at life.
- Inside Aquarium Experience: Catch an exclusive glimpse at SeaWorld's many aquariums from a birds-eye view, or from underneath the tank itself. Learn what goes into keeping SeaWorld's animals healthy and how animal care experts maintain animal habitats to closely mirror wild environments.
- Inside Veterinary Science: Guests can take a first-hand look at SeaWorld's animal care labs and surgical suites where dedicated teams of veterinary experts work to care for animals across the parks and rehabilitate those rescued from adverse situations in the wild. SeaWorld Orlando guests can also see one of only five critical care facilities in the U.S. for the treatment and care of injured, sick, and orphaned animals, including manatees. Guests can also see doctors and specialists at work as they perform their duties using a wide range of critical care amenities including lifting floors, top-of-the-line therapeutic and diagnostic equipment.
- Inside Animal Feeding: Experience a unique glimpse into what goes into feeding SeaWorld animals each day – from how nutritionists have developed formulas to mimic natural environment diets to how caregivers calculate the volume of food each animal needs.
- Inside Wild Artic: Step behind the scenes to learn more about the beluga whales and harbor seals that call Wild Arctic home. Plus, meet the team members who spend their days caring for these unique animals.
- Inside Animal Encounters: Guests can meet a variety of animals including eagles, owls, reptiles, birds, and sloths firsthand, and speak with their animal care specialists about what goes into their care and feeding each day.
World Class Animal Care, Accredited and Regulated by Experts
SeaWorld Inside Look offers a unique opportunity to go behind the scenes of one of the world's foremost zoological organizations. Its team of more than 1,000 animal specialists maintain the highest standards of animal welfare and veterinary care for one the largest zoological collections in the world.
SeaWorld is regulated by various government authorities focused on animal welfare. For example, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal Plant Health Inspection Service performs routine, unannounced visits to SeaWorld to ensure adherence to federal standards and regulations. The visits include a review of the physical premises, records, husbandry practices, program of veterinary care, and animal handling procedures, to ensure that SeaWorld meets and/or exceeds the required standard of care. SeaWorld is also regulated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries, the primary federal agency responsible for the stewardship of living ocean resources and the marine habitats on which they rely. NOAA enforces guidelines set out in laws such as the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act.
SeaWorld is also accredited by third party organizations including the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) and the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA). Achieving and maintaining accreditation from these groups is a rigorous evaluation process in areas that extend beyond the scope of government regulatory agencies. For example, reviews of social settings, team training, habitat enrichment, medical facility, food and water preparation, guest interactions, education programs and more. SeaWorld has also earned the Humane Certified™ seal from American Humane, the world's largest certifier of animal welfare. Reviews and accreditations by these organizations represent the highest standards of care and welfare for specific species.
Dedicated to Marine Animal and Ecosystem Conservation
The commitment of SeaWorld extends beyond the animals in residence. The SeaWorld Rescue team is on call 24x7 to help animals anywhere they are needed. The team logged a combined total of over 50,000 miles in 2021 to rescue animals in need; that's the equivalent of circling the Earth over six times. The team has helped more than 39,000 marine animals, making it one of the largest marine animal rescue organizations in the world.
SeaWorld also advances the science of marine animal health through the study of animals in its care, partnerships with leading academic institutions, and with SeaWorld Conservation Fund grants to organizations focused on marine animal rescue and rehabilitation, conservation education, habitat protection and species research. Since 2003, Fund grants have been made to support 541 different marine-specific conservation projects on all seven continents.
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About SeaWorld Entertainment
SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: SEAS) is a leading theme park and entertainment company providing experiences that matter, and inspiring guests to protect animals and the wild wonders of our world. The Company is one of the world's foremost zoological organizations and a global leader in animal welfare, training, husbandry, and veterinary care. The Company collectively cares for what it believes is one of the largest zoological collections in the world and has helped lead advances in the care of animals. The Company also rescues and rehabilitates marine and terrestrial animals that are ill, injured, orphaned, or abandoned, with the goal of returning them to the wild. The SeaWorld® rescue team has helped more than 39,000 animals in need over the Company's history. SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. owns or licenses a portfolio of recognized brands including SeaWorld®, Busch Gardens®, Aquatica®, Sesame Place® and Sea Rescue®. Over its more than 60-year history, the Company has built a diversified portfolio of 12 destination and regional theme parks that are grouped in key markets across the United States, many of which showcase its one-of-a-kind zoological collection. The Company's theme parks feature a diverse array of rides, shows and other attractions with broad demographic appeal which deliver memorable experiences and a strong value proposition for its guests.
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SOURCE SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
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