Thanks to a grant from the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, Nature Iraq recently completed a conservation education project to improve the condition of animals in captivity - and raise awareness about the health of zoo animals and the requirements for building rehabilitation centers in the country. The project was offered to veterinarians and zoo staff from all parts Iraq.

Our animal care team’s duties revolve around the three R’s: Rescue, Rehabilitate and Return. Recently the three R’s were in action at SeaWorld San Diego.

In mid-October, SeaWorld rescued a sub-adult male California sea lion on a San Diego beach. The following day, the team rescued an adult female harbor seal on another nearby beach. Both animals had fishing line around their neck that had cut quite deeply into their flesh. It took SeaWorld’s rescue team a while to rescue the harbor seal, as she was quite strong and of good size.

Australia is known for its wild, untouched spaces, but it seems that a new invader may be disrupting the outback’s natural way of life. In many regions of Australia, feral cats and foxes are causing severe devastation to local wildlife - and creating a habitat that has been substantially altered. Many native species are facing extinction due to the disruption of this delicate ecosystem.

We live in a world of incredible beauty, and no place is this more apparent than in the Florida Keys. This tropical paradise often serves as an oasis for people wanting to get away from the stressors of life – but unfortunately the animals of the area won’t have the same privilege unless we help them.

SeaWorld’s legacy of animal rescue is being showcased in one of the zoological industry’s leading publications, the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ “Connects” magazine. The story features an in-depth look at the passion and ingenuity displayed by the zoological professionals that comprise the SeaWorld Rescue Team.

Here is a snippet.

SeaWorld: A Legacy of Animal Rescue

SeaWorld animal care specialists are a little bleary-eyed this week as they provide 24-hour care for a weeks-old, baby manatee. Orphaned by her mother, the female calf arrived at the park's rehabilitation center on July 24 after being rescued from the waters of Daytona Beach, Fla.

A tawny frogmouth chick, hatched April 11, gets fed by its mother, while the father looks on. In less than a year, six chicks have been hatched at SeaWorld Orlando and all are now thriving.