Julie Scardina is Animal Ambassador for SeaWorld

SeaWorld

SeaWorld is a United States chain of marine mammal parks, oceanariums, and animal theme parks owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. The parks feature captive orca, sea lion, and dolphin shows and zoological displays featuring various other marine animals. There are operations in Orlando,...

, Busch Gardens

Busch Gardens

Busch Gardens is the name of two amusement parks in the United States, owned and operated by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a division of Blackstone Group. One of the parks is in Williamsburg, Virginia, and the other is in Tampa, Florida...

 and Discovery Cove

Discovery Cove

Discovery Cove is a theme park in Greater Orlando, Florida. Guests can interact with a variety of marine animals, most notably bottlenose dolphins. The park is located adjacent to sister parks SeaWorld Orlando and Aquatica. In addition to swimming with dolphins, Discovery Cove guests can interact...

, zoological parks. She was formerly curator of animal training for SeaWorld of California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

. Scardina is perhaps best known for her regular appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that initially aired from May 25, 1992 to May 29, 2009, and resumed production on March 1, 2010. The fourth incarnation of the Tonight Show franchise made its debut on May 25, 1992, three days following Johnny...

, monthly Today animal information segments and weekly segments on Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures

Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures

Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures is a reality television series about animals and their exciting adventures. This series is hosted by Jack Hanna, Director Emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium...

.

Scardina is a professional animal trainer and educator, who graduated from San Diego State University

San Diego State University

San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...

 with a major in psychology

Psychology

Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...

 and a minor in biology

Biology

Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...

, after attending a program at Moorpark College

Moorpark College

Moorpark College is a California state college located on a property reclining on a hill in Moorpark, a town in Ventura County, California. It was established in 1967 and as of 2006, had an enrollment of 16,580 students and 175 full-time faculty members....

 in Exotic Animal Training and Management. She has worked for years with killer whales, as well as dolphin

Dolphin

Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...

s, sea lion

Sea Lion

Sea lions are pinnipeds characterized by external ear-flaps, long fore-flippers, the ability to walk on all fours, and short thick hair. Together with the fur seal, they comprise the family Otariidae, or eared seals. There are six extant and one extinct species in five genera...

s and many other animals at the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks.

Scardina is a board member of the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund

SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund

-About: is a private, non-profit charitable foundation created in 2003 to allow visitors to , and a chance to get directly involved in wildlife conservation and research...

, which supports conservation education, habitat protection, species research and animal rescue and rehabilitation around the globe. She travels to many of these projects throughout the world and is also involved with many other conservation organizations and efforts, such as the Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders where she serves on the board and acts as a mentor to up and coming environmental leaders.

External links

• "Training workers the SeaWorld way". USA Today.
• Meet Julie Scardina