Kelly Kamrath interacts with Diego, a 13-year-old male California sea lion. Diego was born at Oceans of Fun at the Milwaukee County Zoo in 2004, and Kamrath has been working with him all his life. (UWM Photo/Pete Amland)
Kamrath interacts with Diego during a show. An important part of training is building comfort, trust and respect with the animals. (UWM Photo/Pete Amland)
Kamrath works with Satara, a 23-year-old female Atlantic harbor seal. Satara came to Milwaukee from the Indianapolis Zoo when she was 2 years old. In the background, trainer Emme Miller works with Diego. (UWM Photo/Pete Amland)
Diego entertains the crowd by sticking out his tongue behind Kamrath’s back. The training at Oceans of Fun provides mental and physical stimulation for the animals and highlights natural behaviors, many of which can be entertaining. (UWM Photo/Pete Amland)
Oceans of fun intern Jessica Doerr narrates the show. The shows seek to educate the public about the animals while highlighting some of the difficulties they face in the wild. (UWM Photo/Pete Amland)
Diego leaps out of the water to touch a ball suspended 15 feet above the water’s surface, showing the sea lion’s strength and agility. (UWM Photo/Pete Amland)
Scooter is a 21-year-old male Pacific harbor seal. Scooter came to Oceans of Fun from the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago in 2009. (UWM Photo/Pete Amland)
Diego demonstrates a sea lion’s coordination by balancing a ball on his nose. (UWM Photo/Pete Amland)
Diego shows Kamrath a little love. Seals and sea lions often greet each other with a nose nudge. (UWM Photo/Pete Amland)
UWM biology grad Kelly Kamrath has been working at Oceans of Fun at the Milwaukee County Zoo since even before she graduated, as both a volunteer and intern. Soon after graduation 1996, Kamrath was hired full time and has been there ever since.
Kamrath works with the seals and sea lions regularly, constantly building trust and respect. The shows entertain and educate, with the animals acting as ambassadors of a sort for their counterparts in the wild.
The shows build on the animals’ natural behavior, coupled with lots of positive reinforcement.
But the training is not just to entertain. The animals are trained to present their eyes, ears, mouths and other parts willingly, so that medical care and grooming can be provided more easily.