Beluga interaction program

I also loved the look at the animals up close. By far however, I loved spending time with the beluga whales. They were so beautiful, playful, and fun that I could have stayed in that water as long as my body could have taken it!

I highly recommend this tour to any animal lover! There are some restrictions that the official SeaWorld website has, and I will post those below! This tour was a once in a lifetime thing for me, and I will always remember the time that I hugged a beluga whale, got splashed in the face, and was told the secrets of the sea by Klondike, the 2, lb beluga whale!

When not working as a Paramedic, I spend my time traveling bringing you all the fun this country has to offer! I love traveling and seeing the amazing and unique sides of the world! I also love meeting and interacting with my readers! If you want to know more about me? Just ask!!! Participants must be 10 years of age or older. Participants under the age of 14 must be accompanied by a paying adult.

Please note that the water in the beluga whale habitat is 55 degrees F. SeaWorld park admission is required and is not included in the Beluga Interaction Program price.

Poolside interactions include touching and feeding beluga whales and assisting trainers in communication with the whales through hand signals. Participants must bring swimsuit to wear under wetsuit provided. Wetsuit and full changing facility are provided. Late arrivals may miss program components or may not be accommodated due to limited program availability.

Our Behind the Seas Tour offer a backstage look at our most popular exhibits. No problem. You can complete the waiver using this link prior to your arrival for your encounter: Animal Interactive Waiver. For the safety of our animals, guests and team members, all program participants must wear a facial covering over their mouth and nose at all times for the duration of the program.

Additionally, all guests must consent to a contactless temperature check upon entry. Then as you leave the aquarium, you will see our custom photo kiosks where you can view your pictures, select a custom background and print your pictures immediately. We absolutely encourage you to use your phone to show us your tickets.

There is no need to print the email or barcodes. Our contactless turnstiles will allow you to scan the barcode right from your phone. If you have had known exposure to a person who has tested positive for Covid 19, we ask that you reschedule your Animal Encounter for at least two weeks in the future. Rescheduling for this reason will not incur any additional charges or fees.

All participants will be asked to take a short survey prior to their encounter or program to determine if they have had contact with a person who has tested positive for Covid If that is confirmed, participants will be rescheduled for at least two weeks in the future without any additional charges or fees.

Georgia Aquarium has several sanitization and cleanliness procedures, many of which have been enhanced given the awareness of COVID Our Environmental Operations team continually cleans and disinfects frequently touched places like handles, elevators, faucets, counters, and more. We have placed additional hand sanitizer units in gallery entrances and exits and additional signage in our restrooms indicating proper handwashing techniques.

For staff, disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer, and gloves are available for all employees and volunteers. The program fee is non-refundable; however, the program will be rescheduled whenever possible based upon program availability. The Aquarium will reschedule your encounter free of charge if the change is made at least 14 days in advance of the original date of visit.

No changes can be made less than 48 hours prior to the date of your original visit, and the guest will be charged the full program cost. Cancellations and no-shows will not be refunded or rescheduled. To change your reservation, please contact the Georgia Aquarium Call Center at Reservations are not required. However, we strongly encourage purchasing in advance to guarantee your experience as spaces are limited. Times change day by day based on the aquarium schedules and animal needs. Available times and space will be shown in the booking process.

Every effort will be made in order to allow participation in our Beluga Encounter. During that time, guests stand right next to highly trained and skilled animal trainers in the areas of the Wild Arctic not open to guests. A knowledgeable tour leader guides participants between the animal habitats. The trainers will show guests in some detail how they teach and reinforce useful skills known as husbandry behaviors: things which the animals can do to help with their own healthcare, such as lie still to be examined, turn their head to accept eye drops or offer a flipper for a voluntary blood draw.

Guests get to help the trainers go through a training session similar to the one in the Beluga Interaction Program. There are two walruses in Wild Arctic, Garfield, a 31 year-old male who as rescued as an infant and Kaboodle, an 11 year-old female. One of the walrus trainers describes walruses as the most intelligent animals at SeaWorld. There are many interesting facts that participants learn about these huge animals: tusks, whiskers vibrissae , vocalizations and more.

While the trainers are teaching the guests about walruses, Garfield or Kaboodle sit eight feet away showing how smart they are and happily slurping up fresh fish.

My favorite animals on the Wild Arctic Tour are the three seals that call the enclosure home. There are two harbor seals — Bumstead and Sturby and a harp seal named Wiley. Wiley is naturally shy, since he would consider anything larger than him in the wild a predator, so guests mostly just get to peek at him as he swims around.

On the other hand, Bumstead and Sturby are experienced 17 year old seals who love interacting with the guests. Guests get to pose with and pet the seals as well as see a rundown of their husbandry skills. Wild Arctic is a really fun tour that provides surprising memories for years. Guests regularly laugh and get choked up with emotion during the tour. Photo prints and CDs are available for an additional charge. Tours can be affected by inclement weather, especially if there is lightning in the area, a common occurrence from June through August.

The Wild Arctic tour is an outdoor tour so lightning or heavy rain can mean a postponement or cancellation of a tour. If lightning were to strike the water, it would be attracted to something that is grounded, like a person sitting on the side of the pool with their feet in the water. The belugas would actually be quite safe. Both tours are offered in the afternoon; ironically this can make the Wild Arctic Tour hot. SeaWorld Beluga Interaction Program.