- SeaWorld Orlando and NOAA welcomes pass members, guests and media to attend in-person expert talks throughout the day focused on sawfish care and conservation
- Smalltooth sawfish are critically endangered and the only species of sawfish to be found in the United States; preserving the species in human care is vital to conservation
- An unprecedented surprise announcement will be shared during these sessions
SeaWorld Orlando and the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are joining forces to co-host a series of
“expert talks” on International Sawfish Day. In an effort to raise awareness
around the critically endangered smalltooth sawfish and the steps being made by
SeaWorld and agencies such as NOAA and the AZA, guests will have the
opportunity to hear from animal care experts on the status of the species and
the incredible strides being made towards their conservation. In addition, SeaWorld
Orlando will be making a unprecedented surprise announcement where attendees
will be the first to hear about SeaWorld’s historical milestone achievement
toward the conservation and preservation of the sawfish species.
SeaWorld Orlando | Sharks Underwater Grill- Private Room
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11:00am- Exclusive for
Pass Members
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1:30pm
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3:30pm
Available for interviews:
Becki Orze, SeaWorld Orlando- Senior 1 Aquarist that has been an ambassador at SeaWorld Orlando for over 10 years. Becki has been a part of the team of zoological specialists that care for the Shark Encounter habitat, which includes the smalltooth sawfish, for the majority of her time at SeaWorld. Becki has 20 years of experience working at AZA Zoos and Aquariums and has worked with sawfish at 3 different organizations.
Adam Brame, NOAA- Sawfish recovery coordinator for the endangered smalltooth sawfish since 2015. In this role, Adam works with partners to conserve and recover this species while also evaluating whether other vulnerable species should be listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Prior to his current role, Adam spent several years working as an estuarine fish ecologist at the U.S. Geological Survey where in addition to fish research he dabbled in sea turtle and coral monitoring projects. Adam joined NOAA Fisheries in 2010 as an ESA Section 7 consultation biologist.