Kid Reporter Shelby Fallin talks with turtle rescuers at Sea World in Florida. (Photo courtesty Shelby Fallin)
More Than a Theme Park
Sea World helps save injured turtles
We've all heard of Sea World having amazing rides and shows, but have you ever thought of it being one of the top animal rescuing centers in the world? That's right! Not only does it help kids have fun anytime of year, Sea World also helps rescue sea creatures every day.
I had the opportunity to meet the animal care specialist Pedro Ramos and Dan Conklin, the head of the Sea World sea turtle rescue efforts. Backstage at Sea World, I interviewed Conklin, the head of the sea turtle rescue efforts, and was able to find out what exactly those efforts do for the sea turtles.
The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has been a major event. Sea World has responded by saving sea turtles from this massive oil spill, cleaning them, and nursing them back to health. Conklin explained to me that many of the turtles at Sea World are very rare and on the endangered species list.
But Sea World isn't just saving sea life from the oil spill. They are also saving mammals from every day situations.
Ramos, an animal care specialist for Sea World, told me about other rescue efforts at Sea World that are not based on the oil spill. For example, there are teams that rescue manatees from life threatening situations. Ramos said that so far this year they have rescued over 400 manatees and sea turtles.
Because of their rescue efforts, Sea World has a new addition to its rescued family: a young female sea cow. She was found as an orphan and the staff and rescuers from Sea World saved her from a harsh environment without a mother. They bottle feed her every three hours and give her care and nourishment in a special formula that keeps her healthy until she can eat solid food such as lettuce. Watching the feeding made me think of the young manatee as the worker's daughter.
Every day Sea World works hard to save the lives of many sea creatures. They are not only rescuing animals from the oil spill but from other problems these creatures face in nature. Sea World is impacting the future.
GULF OIL SPILL RECOVERY SPECIAL REPORT
Kid Reporters investigate how the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is being cleaned up and how the spill has impacted the people, animals, and environment of the Gulf coast. Their reports — along with other useful resources — can be found in the Gulf Oil Spill Recovery Special Report.
NEWS FOR KIDS, BY KIDS
Get the latest on national and international events, movies, television, music, sports, and more from the Scholastic Kids Press Corps.
Shelby Fallin is a member of the Scholastic Kids Press Corps.
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