Roger Williams Park Zoo Announces Return of Harbor Seals

Roger Williams Park Zoo Announces Return of Harbor Seals

Roger Williams Park Zoo has announced that return of harbor seals, Action and Bubba, to a newly renovated exhibit.  To celebrate the return, Roger Williams Park Zoo will hose a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, December 4th at 10 a.m.

Guests can view Action and Bubba year round in their new enclosure at the Zoo daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with last admission at 3:30 p.m.

Why They Left

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The seals had to be moved to an aquarium in upstate New York after the viewing window had cracked in late May when water was drained out for routine maintenance. After further inspection, it was determined that the entire wall would need to be replaced.

The Zoo completed construction on the enclosure in November with the help of donations from the community fundraising campaign "Bring the Boys Home." The campaign raised more than $125,000 for the reconstruction of the damaged pool wall.

“The response to the fundraising campaign was overwhelming. The community support was tremendous with over 8,000 individuals who donated what they could at Zoo admissions, online and at our gift shops. They were joined by a few foundations, including the Rhode Island Foundation, corporations, and an anonymous donor who provided matching funds up to $50,000," said Brooke Fairman, Director of Development at the Zoo.

Along with the new wall and viewing window, other improvements were made  to the pool and the seals indoor holding facility.

“The money donated through the ‘Bring the Boys Home’ campaign allowed us to install a better water filtration system, refurbish the indoor holding facility, and apply a new surface to the inner walls and floor of the holding building. In addition, we were able to significantly improve the upper viewing to get visitors closer to the boys from the top deck,” said Zoo Executive Director, Dr. Jeremy Goodman, DVM.

Roger Williams Park Zoo

Roger Williams Park Zoo is one of the oldest in the nation and is Rhode Island's number one outdoor family and tourist attraction.

Roger Williams Park Zoo is supported and managed by the Rhode Island Zoological Society and is owned by the City of Providence.