SeaWorld San Diego: Where Generations Grow Together

For sixty-one years, SeaWorld San Diego has served as a beacon of marine education, entertainment, and conservation—welcoming generations of guests and marine animals, and cultivating a lasting, meaningful bond between them. 

From young minds inspired by the wonders of the sea to returning guests rekindling fond memories, and the continual arrival of beloved animal ambassadors, SeaWorld San Diego remains a place where curiosity, joy, and reverence for nature converge. 

And it continues! This season, we celebrated a baby boom, welcoming newborn sharks, penguin chicks, otter pups, flamingo hatchlings and more. Eric Otjen, our Vice President of Zoological Operations, called it a “joyful reminder of the important work happening every day behind the scenes.”  

Just as vital animal care takes place here around the clock, our guests continually enter and return to the park, creating lasting memories. 

In a beautiful convergence of life and legacy, SeaWorld is becoming a multi-generational destination in the truest sense, where our marine animals and our guests are growing side by side.

Baby Boom Wave in Full Force

The wave of new life came in full force this season as we welcomed an extraordinary group of new arrivals— a total of eleven new babies have been WELCOMED into our care. Among the most notable are two bottlenose dolphin claves, Jupiter and Phin, born to resident dolphins and first-time mothers, Corona and Coco, who themselves were born and raised in our care. The calves marked the newest generation in a multigenerational dolphin pod.

These babies remain under the close watch of SeaWorld’s zoological team, so guests cannot quite yet give them their big welcome in person. Nonetheless, this marked quite an incredible milestone we wanted to share with you!

However, you can meet another set of calves, Cardiff and Chance! These dolphins are one of the many rescued animals SeaWorld has rehabilitated. After being rescued last year, these inspirational calves have reached new milestones this year. Guests can visit Dolphin Adventures to hear more about their rescue stories.

In addition to Jupiter and Phin, SeaWorld welcomed a number of baby animals you can visit now! Walk around the park and meet the newest additions of the SeaWorld family.

Start over at the Flamingoes—you’ll catch a glimpse of the hatchlings, three flamingo chicks! These chicks are growing up fast, they are now up and walking around alongside their parents. These newest additions grow bigger and bigger every day! Make sure to come by and say hello.

Over at Shark Encounter, our aquarists are caring for two baby brown banded bamboo sharks. These babies currently reside in the behind-the-scenes lab of the Shark Encounter and Turtle Reef aquariums. You can greet these newest additions yourself by purchasing the Turtle Up-Close Tour. This tour takes you behind-the-scenes to learn more about SeaWorld’s ongoing hard work with conservation and the care that goes into our aquariums and animals.

On the COLDER side of the park, you’ll meet a few more critters. At Penguin Encounter, three growing king penguin chicks have joined the colony—so adorable!! They hatched back in February and April of this year, keep your eyes peeled to catch a glimpse of these two! It might be a little difficult since it is currently winter in their hemisphere and the lights at Penguin Encounter have been dimmed for our penguins. Nevertheless, come visit these fellows as they continue to grow alongside the flock. Lights at the Penguin Encounter will come back on towards the end of August.

In the neighboring Wild Arctic, you’ll find Bennett and Jane, two newly rescued sea otter pups. Jane is a spunky 4-month-old otter pup that was rescued when was just 2.5 weeks old. She came into SeaWorld’s care after she was taken in and stabilized by the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Since her arrival, Jane has since bonded with the other otters at the park—one of them being Bennett! These two sea otter pups have attached to one another, and Bennett has even taken the role of Jane’s protective older brother. While Jane is currently not in exhibit, you can see Bennett swimming and playing now. Jane will join her older brother very soon, so keep an eye out!

Full Circle Moments

As we introduce the new animal babies of this season, we must not forget the guest side of this baby boom. A phenomenon the park has seen for decades now—countless visitors walking the park with a sense of nostalgia.

Once children themselves marveling at orcas and riding SeaWorld’s latest attraction are now parents, introducing their own children to the same moments of connection, thrills and care.

These full-circle experiences are increasingly common and deeply meaningful. What once was a simple childhood outing evolved into a family tradition. Familiar sights become storytelling opportunities. Generational memories are made not only in photos, but in the shared joy of discovery.

A Park That Grows With You

One of the most powerful aspects of SeaWorld’s evolution is that it mirrors the lives of its visitors. As the park grows and expands, so do the people who return to it — now with children and even grandchildren in tow.

For many, SeaWorld is no longer just a theme park; it’s a touchstone of family history.

Guests recall childhood photos beside the orca statue or inside the Wild Arctic exhibit. Today, they recreate those same moments — this time as parents, with their kids grinning in the same exact spot. In doing so, they preserve personal history while contributing to a collective one.

Continuing the Legacy of Care

As SeaWorld San Diego celebrates its newest animal additions, it also honors the legacy of care and commitment that made them possible. The park’s rescue and rehabilitation work, breeding programs, and educational outreach efforts continue to form the backbone of its mission — and that mission now resonates across generations.

This dual baby boom — of animal births and returning families — is a powerful reminder that conservation is not only about saving species but about sustaining connections. The awe a child feels today may shape the environmental advocate of tomorrow. And the memories made during a family visit may plant the seeds for future caretakers of our oceans.

Where Generations Grow Together

SeaWorld San Diego’s recent baby boom marks a time of celebration, reflection, and renewed purpose. From the splash of dolphin calves to the laughter of toddlers experiencing the wonders of the ocean for the first time, life is unfolding in beautiful, interconnected ways.

Whether you’re visiting for the first time, returning after years away, or starting a new family tradition, SeaWorld remains a place where generations grow together.