Harbor Seal Talks at the Seattle Aquarium: An Exploratory Evaluation

Our project for the Seattle Aquarium was to complete an exploratory evaluation of the Harbor Seal Talks, an element of the Marine Mammal Talks programming. These talks are conducted by either staff biologists speaking from within the seal enclosure or by “dryside” interpretive staff speaking from the audience in dialogue with the biologists. This evaluation was requested by the Interpretation Department to ascertain what the general content of the talks is currently, whether specific conservation messages are being transmitted, and how engaged audiences are in the talks. Our study found that the content of the talks varies widely but remains under the umbrella of three general themes, that conservation messages are inconsistently delivered but are received by audiences when available, and that the audience is engaged in and generally positive about the harbor seal talks. Key findings of our study are based out of the above-mentioned results. The three prominent themes of the talks are: both biologists and dryside interpreters emphasize the differences between harbor seals and northern fur seals, biologists consistently also emphasize the use of training for the health and well being of the seals, and conservation messages are more likely to be delivered to audiences when a dryside interpreter is present. Another key finding that is closely related to thematic messages is that when conservation messages are presented, audiences do receive them and are able to describe what they heard. Interestingly, only one of the two conservation messages mentioned by the Aquarium as intended messaging was delivered, that of the need to leave harbor seal pups alone when found on the beach. Instead of the other intended conservation message, that harbor seals are a barometer of the health of the Puget Sound, we found an unintended message was frequently mentioned, that of buying and consuming sustainable seafood. The study also produced unintended results, such as the discovery that talks are more heavily attended in the afternoons. This information could be useful for the Aquarium’s program planning in the future. The behavioral observation checklist and questionnaire used in the study is included in this report.

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