Usually when you hear the word "fitness," being physically fit is what comes to mind. Not only is it important for our marine mammals to stay in shape physically, but here at New England Aquarium, it's our job to make sure our furry friends stay in shape mentally as well. How do we do that? One way is through training new behaviors. Our training sessions often give our animals a mental workout by providing them with puzzles to solve.

A great example of a behavior that does this is something we call "innovative" training. Here's how it works. The trainer gives the animal a hand signal that basically means: do whatever you want to do this time. There's only one rule to this fun exercise. In order to get a reward, the animal needs to think of something different to do each time. This is one of my favorite types of training sessions because it shows just how creative these marine mammals can be!

Don't miss this video of Amelia, an Atlantic harbor seal, getting a mental workout!



Our harbor seals aren't the only ones that can be creative. Click the video below to see Isaac, a Northern Fur Seal, stretch his imagination!