Zoe's mischievous tendencies can often be channeled toward impressive acrobatic skills. All it takes is one of our experienced trainers, some patience and a lot of fish! Watch how Kathy guides Zoe to higher and higher jumps, with some breaks for fish treats along the way. (This type of training through approximations is known as shaping.)



Zoe eats a lot of squid, capelin and herring. Try about 5,000 calories a day! After all, when she's performing these kinds of acrobatic skills, you bet she needs a lot of energy.




Zoe shows off her jumping skills during a recent training session.

Zoe's pal, Sierra, has mastered some impressive skills of her own, too. Check out her spin moves here. And stay tuned to see what kind of air Sierra can get in the water!

For all those who just can't get enough of those energetic sea lions, today's New Balance Foundation Fitness Friday post is for you. Here's a new perspective of one half of our mischievous pair frolicking underwater.


If you think this is fun, wait until you see them fly through the air or slip and slide along the deck of the marine mammal center! Come by the Aquarium this weekend and take a look.

Ursula has given birth to a pup! You can read the full press release here. This is the first video of mother and pup hanging out behind the scenes!



Note that the pair will not be visible to the public for a while so they can enjoy some bonding time together out of the exhibit.

During these steamy summer months, many families take the plunge to cool off in a community swimming pool, a pond or river, the ocean or even in a backyard kiddy pool. There's just nothing like splashing around in the water to cool off!



Zoe and Sierra—our mischievous and energetic sea lions—know that, too. You can usually find them loafing around the New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center, cavorting and porpoising in the pool. Swimming is, in fact, a great way to get exercise, too. Just think about Michael Phelps!

 

If you've seen them zip through the water, you know these gals are expert swimmers. Sea lions learn to swim when they're only a few weeks old, and they grow up to be among the fast marine mammals in the oceans today, reaching speeds of up to 25 miles per hour! They have to be speedy to stay one step ahead of predators in the wild.

 

While not all of us can swim as well as Zoe and Sierra, it's always refreshing to watch them make some waves. Come on down and marvel at the aquatic acrobats at the Aquarium. And as you're looking to cool off at the water's edge this summer, just keep in mind a few water safety tips:

• Always make sure you swim with an adult or a buddy
• Keep an eye on the weather
• Swim only in safe areas, beware of waves and dangerous currents
• Know your limits, take a rest if you need to

 

During these hot summer days, it's always fun to look back at some really cool competitions between the fur seals and some of the leadership at the Aquarium. Remember when Bud took on Isaac to see who could swim for more toys?


Tough Mudder competition: Billy raises his hand during Patty's introduction

This time we're going to see who can cruise through the Tough Mudder style obstacle course first — Billy Spitzer, PhD, Vice President of Planning, Programs and Exhibits, or Ursula, clever fur seal extraordinaire.



We'll have some more Tough Mudder competitions coming up. It's a fun way to see how the agile fur seals stack up against the athletic staff at the Aquarium in speed swimming, triathlons and more. Stay tuned!