Tampa, Florida - They are all about the people, the cameras and the spotlight. Animal Ambassadors at The Florida Aquarium are loving life. That's because they're the most popular creatures wherever they go.They have their pictures made, followed by a symphony of oooh's and ahhh's. They eat the best Grade-A food, have a pampered schedule with first-class living conditions.Yes, life is good for these penguins, alligators, owls, snakes, and armadillos, to name a few ambassadors.Senior biologist Adam Duff has been raising penguins Rocky and Cliff, since they were what Duff calls, quot;little guys.quot;He chuckles when he watches Rocky and Cliff preen and extend their jet-black necks toward the camera. The two penguins are named after the landscape of their South African birthplace which includes the mountainous region of Capetown, The penguins were made for this life, waddling playfully near Aquarium staff and onlookers. Duff tells us, quot;You can see they're very friendly, they like to be around people.quot;Indeed, they love people, Duff continues. quot;They've very endearing they're very cute animals!quot;Steve, the baby alligator, may not be as cuddly or playful as his ambassador counterparts, but when he comes out to educate and entertain, the crowds are just as excited. Children squeal and beg to touch Steve, even as his mouth of 80 tiny razor sharp teeth gleamBiologist Jordan Ward issues a gentle warning to the young crowds, quot;Easy, slow now. Use two fingers to touch. On the tail guys.... soft touch... just two fingers....very, very gentle.quot;Maybe it's the plethora or University of Florida fans, or maybe mere existence of two million gators in the state right now, but Steve is certainly a crowd pleaser performing his job as Animal Ambassador.Duff adds, quot;It's been very good for us at the Aquarium...a way to educate guests... also a way to get a message across with some neat animals.quot;Many of the Animal Ambassadors, like quot;Swoopquot; the Barn Owl, have incredible stories of rescue and resilience. Swoop, a breathtaking Barn Owl, stares shyly at the ground as her thick, rubbery claws clamp down on a biologist's leather glove.As she tilts her head toward the ground, some might see as odd, considering the fact that this beautiful beige and white owl is stared at continuously on a daily basis.Her full oval face, with wispy white thread-like feathers framing it, is delicate and powerful all at the same time.Ward describes Swoop's painful path to the Aquarium, where she is being nursed back to heath. quot;Swoop was being kept as someone's pet and had an unfortunate incident with a ceiling fan. That gave her an unfortunate head trauma injury. After that, she was donated to us, although she does suffer weakness in her vision,quot; Ward says.A painful reminder, Ward tells us, that humans need to respect the environment around them. Each Animal Ambassador makes its way through the Aquarium on a daily basis, as biologists and staff take the time to tell the animals' stories and the way they affect the global landscape.But, the ambassadors do not languish on the property.The theme here is, have animal, will travel.The ambassadors make their way all around the Bay area, visiting schools with curious students who learn about the animals and the way these ambassadors affect the world.As Duff pulls a glass wagon with Rocky and Cliff inside, the two penguins strain their necks to peer over the edge.Duff looks down at his penguin buddies and smiles at them, quot;These penguins, I've been working with them since they were very young...they came here when they came here... they were just little guys. They know me, they trust me.quot;Sure enough, as soon as Duff gingerly pulls them from the wagon, they waddle around, staring at their surroundings, curiously staring down certain items, like my ring, which I'm sure seems tasty and sparkling all at the same time.Duff tells me that the ring, does indeed, peak their curiosity. quot;When it's time to do these interactions, these penguins run toward the door. They know it's time.quot;Time for another day as an Animal Ambassador at the Florida Aquarium, which life is, indeed, lovely. .To find out more about the Animal Ambassador program,click here./>
