Aquarium of the Pacific

Tonight's First Wednesday's lecture, Pacific Walruses, is now streaming! Tune in live or watch the playback https://lnkd.in/gdQm7rke

🎉 Jeffrey Flocken has joined Aquarium of the Pacific as their new president and CEO! In his new role, Flocken will draw from his leadership experience in species conservation and welfare to advance the Aquarium's mission to instill a sense of wonder, respect, and stewardship for the Pacific Ocean, its inhabitants, and ecosystems. 🌊🐠 He most recently served as the president of Humane World for Animals and also has diverse experience leading at IFAW, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Conservation International, and National Wildlife Federation. 🍃 He is also the co-founder of Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders, an international organization dedicated to training and mentoring up-and-coming leaders in #WildlifeConservation. 💼 Flocken’s wealth of knowledge and connections in policy, communications, conservation science, sustainability, fundraising, and team management will allow the #Aquarium to continue to improve the lives of animals and empower communities. 🌱 🐾 🗣️ “Having devoted my life to trying to make the planet a better place for animals and people, the Aquarium of the Pacific is the perfect place for me to not only focus on marine life, but also embrace the vibrant community in Long Beach and the greater Los Angeles area.” ~ Jeffrey Flocken 🔗You can find more info about Flocken's education and experience in Connect ➡️ https://bit.ly/4iPJsIf #AquariumofthePacific #MarineConservation #Conservation #Sustainability #AnimalWelfare #ConservationScience #EWCL #AZA #ItsInOurNature #LongBeach

Get ready to feel some eelings. On this week's episode of Aquarium of the Podcific, Aquarist Heidi takes listeners on a deep dive into the wonderfully weird world of eels, from “true” eels and their tube-sock vibes to the grandpa-faced wolf eels that only look like the real deel. 🎧 Visit pacific.to/podcific or find Aquarium of the Podcific anywhere you listen to podcasts!

Each year, endangered sea otter pups strand on the beaches of central California. By partnering with the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Sea Otter Surrogacy program, we can give these pups a second chance. On this #GivingTuesday, we need your help! Earlier this year, the Aquarium of the Pacific received a 3-month-old male sea otter pup who was rescued by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Sea Otter Program and was finally ready to be introduced to a surrogate mother. He was paired with resident adult female, Cee, and the two of them formed a comfortable bond behind the scenes For three months, Aquarium staff provided expert care for the young pup behind the scenes. Every measure is taken to limit pup interaction with humans to boost their chances of surviving in the wild – including monitoring via cameras, donning a disguise for feeding time, and constructing a habitat that obstructs the visibility of any people. When this pup left the Aquarium to return to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for release to the wild, he weighed a healthy 28 pounds! To date, nine Southern sea otters have successfully gone through the surrogacy program at the Aquarium of the Pacific since our first pup in January 2024. You can make a real difference for otters like him. Join us on Giving Tuesday and make a donation at pacific.to/seaotters2025. Thank you!

The Aquarium of the Pacific has partnered with ReShark to help to recover populations of endangered zebra sharks in Indonesia. The Aquarium is sending fertilized zebra shark eggs to support ReShark’s Stegostoma tigrinum Augmentation and Recovery Project (StAR Project), which is a global effort to restore endangered zebra sharks in regions where this species has disappeared or declined. Learn more about this important project on our website! https://lnkd.in/gyX5S9pe

Introducing Rosie! 🐧💖 Rosie, a four-year-old Magellanic penguin, is making her debut at the Aquarium of the Pacific. The public can now see Rosie swim and interact with her fellow penguins in the June Keyes Penguin Habitat. Each penguin in the Aquarium’s habitat has a distinct personality, and Rosie is quiet, curious, and playful. She is being fed restaurant-quality food by the Aquarium’s animal care staff, including capelin, squid, and her favorite so far: herring. “We are so excited to have Rosie join our Magellanic penguin colony. She seems like she will be a bright addition to the group with her curious and social nature. We are looking forward to getting to know her as she settles in and begins to explore our habitat,” said Aviculturist Ashley. Rosie came from an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited facility. The Aquarium of the Pacific participates in the AZA Species Survival Program (SSP) for Magellanic penguins. Magellanic penguins are a medium-sized, temperate species native to the coasts of Argentina and Chile in South America. The public is also welcome to view Rosie and the rest of the penguins on the Aquarium’s live webcam at pacific.to/penguincam. She can be spotted in her hot pink, orange, and yellow band around her flipper. The Penguin Cam is brought to us courtesy of explore.org, the philanthropic media organization and division of the Annenberg Foundation.

Thanksgiving moods, which one are you? We're all of them, and we're SO thankful for the support from our donors, members, visitors, staff, and followers. Thank you for choosing to uplift your Aquarium's mission to instill a sense of wonder, respect, and stewardship for the Pacific Ocean, its inhabitants, and ecosystems. 🧡 Happy Thanksgiving! Photos by Robin Riggs

It’s Family Volunteer Day! 💙 Today, we’re celebrating families who give back together and make a difference in their communities. At the Aquarium, families can dive into volunteering side by side. Want to join? Visit Visit pacific.to/famvol to learn more about family volunteer opportunities! 🌊

It’s International Day of Zoo & Aquarium Educators! 🐟💡 Whether you’re touching a sea star, participating in a camp, tuning in to the Aquarium's Online Academy, or enjoying a whale watch, you’re exploring with our amazing team of 50+ staff and 400+ volunteers who make learning a splash! 🌊 Our educators spark curiosity everywhere, making #STEMforALL a reality. Every show, field trip, and program is powered by their passion. Please join us in thanking an educator who made your visit extra fintastic. 👏

Congratulations to our 2025 Photo Night Winners! The Aquarium’s 16th annual Photographers Night was held in October, and guests were invited to enjoy an evening of workshops, free equipment rentals, and demonstrations. Hope to see you next year! 📸 #AOPphoto25 🥇Grand Prize Winner: Ahmad Alomar 🐸 🥈First Runner-Up: Enrique Lopez 🦈 🥉Second Runner-Up: Emily Malcolm 🌟 Honorable Mentions: Glenalyn Ann “G” Mabilangan, Joshua Gluck, Mark Iwanicki, Emily Cardinas, Ray Cardinas, Jeremiah Ledda, Brandon James Velasco, Gigi Hamar, and Albert Liu