Aquarium of the Podcific

This week we talk to Podcific's own Erin Lundy all about the mountain yellow-legged frog! Leaping into conservation efforts to aid in the recovery of this species, the Aquarium of the Pacific built a lab space to care for these critically endangered amphibians native to California’s mountain regions.
Episode Transcript
Learn more about the Aquarium's mountain yellow-legged frog conservation efforts on our website.

What does it take to maintain a world-class Aquarium? World-class teams! Today on Aquarium of the Podcific, we are joined by Mike Davis and Reed Edwards to discuss the duties of their respective teams and what it was like building the new exhibits inside our reimagined Southern California Gallery.
 
Episode Transcript
 
The reimagined Southern California Gallery is now open!

 
It's an octopus double feature! This week we have Aquarium of the Pacific's own Brooke Hernandez talking to us about her experience caring for the giant Pacific octopus, and Octonation founder Warren Carlyle discussing his work in creating the world's largest octopus fan club.
TikToks:
Diving with an octopus
Octopus habitat
Episode Transcript
Links:
Learn about sustainable seafood
Volunteer at the Aquarium of the Pacific
Octonation - The Largest Octopus Fan Club!
Watch Octonation x AOP's Interview with an Octopus

Let’s take a dive! Dive Safety Officer Rachel Cushman joins us to talk about diving inside the Aquarium of the Pacific’s habitats.
TikToks:
Rachel and the grouper
Diving inside our largest habitat
Episode Transcript
Links:
Spot our divers on live webcams powered by explore.org
Watch Rachel’s full TikTok Live Dive
Learn more about our Volunteer Diver Program

Lovable, goofy, and slightly terrifying? That’s penguins for ya! This week, Aviculturst Ashley Loper joins us to talk about our funny feathered friends. The Aquarium of the Pacific is home to a waddle of Magellanic penguins, see them in our June Keyes Penguin Habitat on your next visit!
TikToks:
THAT’S what penguins sound like?!
Penguin mouths
Penguin physical
Penguins have knees!
Episode Transcript
Links:
Watch our penguins webcam, powered by Explore.org
Penguin Conservation at the Aquarium
Learn more about Magellanic Penguins in our Online Learning Center
Make responsible seafood choices
Our roster of penguins

We’re seeing stars! Erin and Madeline are joined by Aquarist Jen Burney this week to talk about sea stars and other echinoderms.
TikToks:
How stars move
These are not starfish
Basket star baby
Episode Transcript
Links:
Learn more about the sunflower sea star on our Online Learning Center!
Sunflower Star Lab

Erin and Madeline are joined by Josh Wagner, aka Jelly Josh, one the Aquarium of the Pacific’s jelly experts. We discuss what jellyfish are (hint: not fish!) and learn all about this fascinating creature that survives without a brain.
TikToks:
No brain, no heart, can't lose.
Go with the flow
Feed our moon jellies on your next visit
Would you touch a #seajelly?
Weird and lovely, the giant bell jelly.
Itty bitty
Episode Transcript
Links:
Pacific sea nettle webcam powered by Explore.org 
What is a sea jelly? 
Jelly conservation 
Jelly reproduction 

This week, we’re joined by Aquarist Rachel Munson to learn about sharks! Rachel is on a mission to reverse sharks’ bad reputation and educate the masses on why these animals are so crucial to our oceans.
 
TikToks:
Diving in Shark Lagoon 
Shark Diets
Sharks lay eggs 
Episode Transcript
Links:
Aquarium of the Pacific's Shark Lagoon Webcam powered by explore.org 
Shark & Ray Encounter at the Aquarium of the Pacific
Learn more about Shark Lagoon’s residents
 

This week, Erin and Madeline learn about sea turtles that live at the Aquarium, and the wild population nearby at the mouth of the Los Angeles River. They are joined by Volunteer Services Manager and Sea Turtle Monitoring Project Lead Cassandra Davis, and Tropical Reef Aquarist Adam Atlas. In this episode, you’ll learn about the mysterious lives of sea turtles, and what it’s like to care for them at the Aquarium.
Related Aquarium TikTok videos:
Turtle scratching its shell
Sea Turtle Annual Exam
Lou Redecorating
Episode Transcript. 
Links:
Sea Turtle Monitoring Project: Learn how you can get involved in Community Science!
Volunteer at the Aquarium!
Stranded/Distress Sea Turtle Info
Sea Turtle Distance Guidelines
References:
Aquarium of the Pacific. (n.d.-a). Green sea turtle. Online Learning Center. https://www.aquariumofpacific.org/onlinelearningcenter/species/green_sea_turtle
Aquarium of the Pacific. (n.d.-a). Sea Turtle Rescue and rehabilitation. Aquarium of the Pacific. https://www.aquariumofpacific.org/conservation/sea_turtle_rescue_and_rehabilitation
Aquarium of the Pacific. (n.d.-b). Olive ridley sea turtle. Online Learning Center. https://www.aquariumofpacific.org/onlinelearningcenter/species/olive_ridley_sea_turtle
Aquarium of the Pacific. (n.d.-b). Southern California Sea turtle monitoring project. Aquarium of the Pacific. https://www.aquariumofpacific.org/conservation/sea_turtle_monitoring
NOAA Fisheries. (2022, September 15). Green Turtle. NOAA. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/green-turtle
NOAA Fisheries. (n.d.). Sea turtles. NOAA. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/sea-turtles
NOAA. (n.d.). Sea turtles. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/marine-life/sea-turtles

Welcome to Aquarium of the Podcific! Join hosts Erin and Madeline on a deep dive through the Aquarium of the Pacific. 
Today’s episode is all about the most dangerous animal at the Aquarium… sea otters! Sea Otter Program Manager Megan Smylie talks with us all about these ferocious creatures.
Watch Millie the Otter’s annual exam. 
Episode Transcript
References:
Aquarium of the Pacific. (n.d.). Southern Sea Otter. Online Learning Center - Aquarium of the Pacific.
Endangered Species Act 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2011, July 5). Sea otter anatomy. Ocean Today. 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. (n.d.). Wildlife Health Monterey Bay. Wildlife Health at Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. 
Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. (n.d.). Creature feature: sea otter. Earth Is Blue Magazine. 
Smylie, M. (2023, May 23). Aquarium of the Podcific: Season 1, Episode 1. Sea Otters. Sea Otter Program Manager. Long Beach, California. 
Tinker, M. T., Estes, J. A., Bodkin, J. L., Larson, S. E., Hodder, J., & Murray, M. (2023). Restoring sea otters to the Oregon Coast: A feasibility study. Elakha Alliance.