Freeway The Sea Lion, Rescue Team In Spotlight For ‘Inside Look' At SeaWorld San Diego

By Editor, Times of San Diego

January 12, 2023

“Inside Look” returns to SeaWorld San Diego for the long weekend, beginning Saturday, to give guests a glimpse of what goes into the park’s animal-care operation.

The three-day event allows guests to connect with SeaWorld animal care specialists and hear their personal stories. Visitors also will have special access to areas of the park normally not open to the public, including the Rescue Center.

“Our education and zoological teams look forward to ‘Inside Look’ each year, as they love sharing their passion for taking care of the park’s animals and their wealth of zoological knowledge with our guests,” said Eric Otjen, a SeaWorld San Diego vice president.

“Inside Look,” which comes with park admission, includes:

• Inside the SeaWorld Rescue Center – members of the rescue team will share stories about recent rescues and offer tours showing the animal care hospital and rehabilitation areas. Guests will get to see the rescue truck and inflatable boat used in rescues, along with Freeway, the sea lion rescued in January 2021 from state Route 94.
• Inside Orca Encounter – guests will view a learning-and-training session between the orcas and their animal care team.
• Inside and Underwater at Turtle Reef – zoological scuba divers will interact with the turtles in the reef while educators share information and answer questions.
• Inside Animal Care – during Trainer Talks where guests can learn about animal behaviors, feeding and husbandry. The 10-minute presentations will be offered daily following the Orca Encounter, Dolphin Adventures and Sea Lion & Otter Spotlight presentations.
• Meet Animal Conservation Ambassadors – during the Feathers, Scales, and Furry Rescue Tails presentation at Nautilus Amphitheater, guests will meet many rescued animals, such as marsupials, primates and reptiles.
• Connections with Conservation Partners – on Skytower Lawn, organizations such as Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, Living Coast Discovery Center, Project Wildlife and SeaWorld Rescue, will have booths where guests may learn about their work.

Event times are subject to change or cancellation without notice. See the park’s daily schedule for an outline of “Inside Look” events. Single-day admission for the weekend starts at $75.

Guests also may pick up an “Inside Look” passport and visit certain locations for a special stamp or opt to purchase an Inside Look Scavenger Hunt map with stickers matching animal and park facts with points of interest around the park. Completed maps can be redeemed for a SeaWorld prize.

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