Royal Credit Union Sea Lion Discovery Starts March 6!
Look who’s making a splash at the Minnesota Zoo! Come see what makes California sea lions so cool. Learn about sea lions on land and in the water (and even in the air) at Royal Credit Union Sea Lion Discovery!
Daily at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Doors open 20 minutes prior at 10:40 a.m. and 1:40 p.m. Come enjoy music and trivia while you await the sea lion stars.
To make your reservation, first get Zoo tickets and click the ‘Checkout’ button in your cart. A pop-up prompt lets you check availability and reserve a spot at that day’s 11 a.m. or 2 p.m. Royal Credit Union Sea Lion Discovery.
If you missed the prompt at checkout, go to your email inbox to find your Zoo admission order confirmation – click the link to add Royal Credit Union Sea Lion Discovery to your day at the Zoo.
California sea lions are intelligent and athletic marine mammals. They are quick learners and very fast swimmers. On land, they rotate their back flippers underneath their body to walk like a four-legged animal. You’ll see all that and more! Witness the close bonds between the Zoo’s Marine Mammal Trainers and the sea lions. Thanks to these strong relationships, sea lions participate in their own daily care and show us a range of natural behaviors.
Seating is limited so reserve your tickets today! (There is no additional fee to attend Royal Credit Union Sea Lion Discovery.)
1 – Start by visiting Plan Your Visit and click “Get Day Timed Tickets Today!”
2 – Select a day and time to visit the Zoo and add the tickets to your cart
3 – Note the date and time of your daytime Zoo ticket reservation
4 – Click “Checkout” and look for the “Royal Credit Union Sea Lion Discovery” pop-up
5 – Click on the “Royal Credit Union Sea Lion Discovery” link in the pop-up
6 – Use the calendar to select the Royal Credit Union Sea Lion Discovery that corresponds with the day and time of your Zoo visit
7 – Add the Royal Credit Union Sea Lion Discovery tickets to your cart and complete the checkout process.
*Please note, if you need both ADA and stadium tickets, please add one type of the ticket to your cart then press the back button in your browser to navigate back to the “Royal Credit Union Sea Lion Discovery” calendar to add the other type.
Yes! If you missed the prompt for Royal Credit Union Sea Lion Discovery at checkout, go to your email inbox to find your Zoo admission order confirmation. Click the link to add Royal Credit Union Sea Lion Discovery to your day at the Zoo.
The Zoo is excited to host Royal Credit Union Sea Lion Discovery at 11:00am and 2:00pm daily.
Doors open 20 minutes prior to Royal Credit Union Sea Lion Discovery at 10:40am and 1:40pm. Come enjoy music and trivia while you await the sea lion stars!
During Royal Credit Union Sea Lion Discovery, the Minnesota Zoo’s Marine Mammal team will introduce you to a wide range of sea lions’ natural behaviors. You’ll learn how the animal care staff support the sea lions’ health and well-being through exercise, socializing and learning new skills. Come see sea lions communicate, feed, problem-solve and play! These daily sessions will be about 15-20 minutes in length and generally feature a rotation of 2-3 sea lions.
*For those with sensory sensitivities, please note, music is played before and during the demonstration and microphones are used throughout.
Royal Credit Union Sea Lion Discovery is included with your Zoo admission, however, with limited seating available, reservations are recommended. If capacity allows, guests without reserved seats will be able to attend a demonstration on a first-come, first-served basis until capacity is reached.
Yes! Underwater viewing is accessible in our Discovery Bay Great Hall. Additionally, when demonstrations are not taking place, our upper-level animal viewing area will be open to guests.
Sponsor Spotlight: Royal Credit Union
We’re grateful for the support of Royal Credit Union for the Minnesota Zoo’s mission to connect people, animals, and the natural world to save wildlife. Both organizations are dedicated to making a positive difference in our communities, providing educational opportunities – and having fun!
Thanks to their support, Royal Credit Union Sea Lion Discovery is included with your Zoo admission. That means your day at the Zoo is sure to make a splash! You’ll be wowed by what sea lions can do – and inspired to make a difference for ocean animals.
Royal Credit Union is a not-for-profit credit union proudly serving over 300,000 Members in Minnesota and Wisconsin. See if you’re eligible for membership and learn more at rcu.org.
Choose to eat sustainable seafood! Overfishing is a major threat to oceans. When grocery shopping or dining out, you can pick fish and shellfish that have been sustainably harvested – leaving at-risk species to recover.
To help you choose, use the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch online guide. This free tool makes it easy to search for seafood to eat and which to avoid. Available online, in print, and as a mobile app. It’s color-coded like a traffic light to help you know at a glance your best options.
Help welcome sea lions to the Minnesota Zoo with an animal sponsorship! When you sponsor a sea lion, you support the animals at the Zoo while forming a deeper connection with wildlife. Each sea lion sponsorship includes four exclusive updates on the Zoo's new sea lions throughout the year, along with a certificate of sponsorship. Plus, customize your package to add on a sea lion plush, book, or both!
Clyde
Clyde is easy to identify among the sea lions – he’s the biggest by far! You’ll also notice he has numbers on his back. Wildlife officials marked Clyde when he was found feeding on endangered salmon at the Bonneville Dam in Oregon.
To save salmon, Clyde was removed by wildlife managers and moved to an accredited zoo in New York City.
Clyde’s sweet, gentle nature was broadcast far and wide when the Bronx Zoo was featured on Animal Planet. Check out this clip featuring Clyde.
JoJo
JoJo has lived at both Central Park Zoo and the Queens Zoo in New York City. He was born on June 11, 2016.
He is the second largest sea lion and dark in color. JoJo is the fastest swimmer and you’ll see him build up speed as he zooms around the habitat.
Theo
Theo comes here from the Central Park Zoo in New York City. He and JoJo are half-brothers. Clyde is their dad. Theo was born at the Bronx Zoo on June 28, 2019.
Here’s a tip for identifying him: Theo glows gold! His coat is noticeably more yellow than the others who are more chocolate brown in color.
Hudson
Hudson was born on June 12, 2023 at SeaWorld San Antonio. He’s curious but doesn’t venture too far from his bestie, Flynn. The duo usually approach new objects as a pair. Hudson has a lot of growing to do as male sea lions don’t reach adulthood until age 5.
Flynn
Flynn was born at SeaWorld San Antonio on June 30, 2023. He and Hudson are best buddies, but not brothers. The inseparable pair are constantly moving. Since they are about the same size as one another, they are difficult to tell apart. You might catch a glimpse of Flynn’s yellow tag behind his front right flipper.
Ola is about the same size as the sea lions but not as sleek and streamlined. Both species are classified as pinnipeds—a group of carnivorous, fin-footed, marine mammals that includes seals, sea lions, and walruses.
Hawaiian monk seals are critically endangered with only 1,000 remaining in the wild. The Minnesota Zoo is the only zoo or aquarium outside Hawaii to care for them.
“Ola” means health, alive, or well-being in the Hawaiian language. Now in her elder years, she continues to enjoy a heathy, active life. Ola adores attention from the Marine Mammal Team and likes interacting with people. From the upper viewing area, you might see Ola carry toys, vocalize to get attention, and get excited when she sees her fish bucket.
13000 Zoo Boulevard
Apple Valley, MN 55124
952.431.9200
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