Jenna Deedy
Bio
Zoo and Aquarium Professional, Educator, Cosplayer, Writer and B.A. in Psychology whose got a lot to share when it comes to animals, zoos, aquariums, conservation, and more.
Instagram: @jennacostadeedy
Stories (136/0)
Tokitae Off Display at Miami Seaquarium? An Open Letter
To Whom It May Concern, I am writing regarding the welfare of Miami SeaQuarium’s elderly killer whale Tokitae, also known as “Lolita” in response to reports that she and Lii, her Pacific White-Sided dolphin companion, would no longer be on public display.
By Jenna Deedy2 years ago in Petlife
An Open Letter to Scott Ross
To Scott Ross, My name is Jenna Costa Deedy and I am a SeaWorld-Busch Gardens Adventure Camp Alumni from 2006 until 2010. As a camper at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and at the SeaWorld Parks in Orlando and San Antonio, I got to learn about and work with a variety of animals from terrestrial birds and mammals such as parrots, giraffes, gorillas, and rhinos to several species of marine animals such as sharks, stingrays, dolphins, penguins, and orcas. In addition, I was lucky enough to work alongside various zoo and aquarium professionals who served as my mentors through college.
By Jenna Deedy2 years ago in Petlife
IMATA: Homecoming
After the COVID-19 Pandemic caused a two-year hiatus, IMATA (International Marine Animal Trainers' Association) will start off the new year by returning to in-person conferences at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. The week-long conference will run from February 27th through March 5th. This organization is dedicated to advancing the care of marine animals in zoological facilities by fostering communication between zoo and aquarium professionals who serve marine animal science through training, public display, research, husbandry, conservation, and education.
By Jenna Deedy2 years ago in Petlife
Poison Worries Over The Whale “Sanctuary” Project
For the last few years, I’ve expressed my concerns about a proposed marine mammal “sanctuary” that would be operated by animal rights extremists in Nova Scotia. Many of these concerns I’ve expressed were about the negative effects the pen would have on both local wildlife and the resident animals who would live there.
By Jenna Deedy2 years ago in Petlife
Thanks to SeaWorld, Christmas Comes Early to Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
It’s been a month since Clearwater Marine Aquarium suffered the loss of their beloved dolphin Winter from an intestinal torsion after thriving under their care for sixteen years. She has left behind an incredible legacy that has proven to be beneficial to both people and animals alike.
By Jenna Deedy2 years ago in Petlife
Whale of a Holiday
The following article contains links to shops for which I might receive a commission upon purchase. The holidays are here and it’s that time of year when everyone is sincere, people are bundled up to battle the bitter cold temperatures, drinking down that hot chocolate, watching Christmas movies, singing carols, and of course watching anything that has to do with StarWars.
By Jenna Deedy2 years ago in Petlife
Winter: A Tribute to the “Little Dolphin That Could”
Winter, the adult bottlenose dolphin whose unlikely rescue inspired a generation of people worldwide after losing her tail and becoming a two-time film star, passed away on November 11th, 2021. Her passing occurred just sixteen years after she was rescued as a two-month-old calf.
By Jenna Deedy2 years ago in Petlife
Whale “Sanctuaries” Over Right Whales?
On October 29th, 2021, the anti-zoo group known as “The Whale Sanctuary Project” (WSP) announced the opening of its visitor center in Sherbrooke, Nova Scotia. The group claims the public wants to see zoo and aquarium-housed cetaceans live in sea pen-based “sanctuaries” rather than in pool-based inland facilities or in lagoon facilities not operating under a donation/tax-payer income model. The visitor center is a small in-house exhibit containing anti-zoo propaganda that discourages people from visiting modern zoos and aquariums that display cetaceans (The Canadian Press, 2021).
By Jenna Deedy2 years ago in Petlife
Show Behaviors are Natural Behaviors.
Probably the one big myth that animal rights extremists like to put out there is the misconception that marine mammals in modern zoological facilities are “forced” to do “unnatural tricks”. In reality, the behaviors you see in a training session or a theater-style show do not differ from any surface behavior they would normally display out in the wild.
By Jenna Deedy2 years ago in Petlife
Concerning Miami SeaQuarium
Sarah Newcomer is an online business owner who specializes in creating cetacean-inspired merchandise. Like myself, she also has a history of working with animals at zoos and aquariums and spent some time in the field between 2006 and 2012. She has since moved on to focus on her online business. When she read the June 2021 inspection report on the Miami Seaquarium, it upset her, as it seemed like the staff was not listening to their veterinary team. Yet, she realized she was incorrect.
By Jenna Deedy3 years ago in Petlife