Our seals
Training and feeding the seals is one of Polaria's most popular attractions. The training is important to stimulate and develop the animals, and to reinforce positive behaviour. The animals are very playful and in our underwater tunnel you can study their graceful movements through the water.
Here on polaria you will find two different seal species. The seals Bella and Mai San belong to a purely Arctic species, and came to us from Svalbard in 2003. They are joined by the harbor seals Loffen and Lyra, who were born in the Lofoten Range in 2010.
At Polaria we train our seals during feeding sessions. Having an active life is important for our marine mammals. Therefore, we spend a lot of time training and playing with our seals. Our main intention with the training is to stimulate the animals both mentally and physically, as well as to practice the seals in performing veterinary exercises that enable examinations on whether the animals are healthy and in good shape.
When training the animals we use a method called training with positive reinforcement. This means that we reward the seals with fish and praise when they perform the behaviors correctly and ignore them for a few seconds if they make mistakes.
About our seals
Bella
Bella is Polaria's diva, and was born in May 2003 at Spitsbergen. She likes new challenges and can be very energetic, but at the same time determined and shows clearly when she is bored during training. You recognize her on the big mustaches and the gray-brown fur with a big light spot in the middle of her back. Bella belongs to the species bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus).
Mai San
Like Bella, Mai San was born at Spitsbergen in May 2003, but she is far more patient than Bella. She is dutiful, but sometimes gets a little confused during the training sessions. That's why she's been nicknamed "Oisann." Mai San is also a bearded seal and is characterized by large moustaches, pink rings around the eyes, white areas around her mouth and gray fur.
Lyra
Lyra is Polaria's charmer and impossible not to love. Although she is far smaller than her two "aunts," she makes the biggest splashes when she jumps. Lyra was born on 10 July 2010 at Lofotakvariet in Kabelvåg. You recognize her in a bright, star-shaped pattern behind each ear. Lyra belongs to the species harbour seal (Phocavitulina).
Loffen
Loffen is also a harbor seal, and was born just one week after Lyra in the Lofotakvariet in Kabelvåg. He is trusting and confident, and very curious about his surroundings. Loffen loves training and learns new exercises quickly. Loffen is characterized by lots of bright dots all over his body, and that he is slightly larger than Lyra.
