I frequent Sea World and participate in the AARP Terrific Tuesday program.
I started with the Polar bears, because they are my favorite and provide the widest variety of photo opportunities. I have dedicated a separate album just for POLAR BEARS. I will add more pictures from other attractions and other categories as I take more and edit them.
Date(s): Ongoing ..... Album by Heinz Steiner. Photos by Heinz Steiner. 1 - 36 of 39 Total.
1 The Polar Bear is the dominant resident of the Wild Arctic. This is the male who asserts his status.
2 .. so he yells at his girlfriend.
3 Yes she's a pretty one! I learned that their coat is actually tranlucent, covering their black skin, which gets solar heating through the wonderful coat.
4 During the cooler season they spend more time on land, giving different photo opportunities.
5 Checking me out, good thing there is a thick glass wall between us.
6 I looked closer and saw that she is fascinated by what looks like a little Santa Claus. I could not see from where it was reflectd.
7 The polar bears fancy fresh steelhead trout for a lunch or dinner on occasion, particularly when the keepers chum and the trout cause a 'boil' at the surface.
8 The Beluga Whale is another dweller in the Wild Arctic. They feed on kril, bivalves and invertebrates aswell as small fish. They can eject a stream of water to dislodge food and are able to turn their head unlike other whales and sharks.
9 The have no dorsal fin and in its place is a very hard boney ridge. Since they are mammals, they need to breathe air, which they do every two to five minutes. When the sea freezes over the hard ridge on their back is used as an ice breaker.
10 They also have relatively small pectoral fins and fluke since they need to conserve body heat and limit exposure. Their blubber is very dense and serves as an insulating layer as well as energy reserve.
11 The Walrus is another Wild Arctic inhabitant and at over 2000 pounds, a formidable one at that.
12 The large bull is actually blind, but navigates the familiar habiat very well.
13
14 waiting to steal some food from the walrus
15
16 The Pet-smart show gives many examples of trained pets from various pounds, cats, dogs, pigs etc.
17 The Budweiser Clydesdale team makes a trip around the park
18 and can be observed from grooming the mane to hitching..
19 stopping for photo ops
20 before heading back to the stables.
21 Discovery cove is where you can feed the bottlenosed porpoises
22 and even pet them
23 you better be quick when feeding them or the feisty seagulls will steal it out of your hand.
24
25
26 The Tidepool
27 The Tidepool with its Star Fish and sea slugs
28 The Aquarium de la Mer shows off Jelly Fish
29 The Aquarium de la Mer shows off Jelly Fish
30 ... and I should have taken a picture of the sign that told me who this is.
31 this one gave me a similar look as the other unnamed one before, both were taken with available light.
32 this is a Rock Fish
33 ... here's a Spiny Lobster
34 and a Moray Eel
35 This one needed a flash, it can be tricky since the glass reflects the built in flash.
36 The Flamingos are a deep red, which I'm told results from their diet.
