Homemade Olympic Rings Provide Hoops For Sporty Seals At Blue Reef Aquarium

By Jenny Wotherspoon Location: Tynemouth
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Alternative Olympics for Tynemouth's sporty seals

Olympic fever has taken over a Tynemouth aquarium as resident seals are put through their paces with a five-hoop jump.

Inspired by the Olympic Rings, the Blue Reef Aquarium has created a colourful hoop arrangement to keep their seals fit.

The water mammals have been enjoying their own underwater Olympics on a daily basis, which aquarists say has also made feeding time more fun.

The seals, who are trained daily, are encouraged to practice a natural behaviour called porpoising.

It involves jumping above the water in a small arc as the seal comes to the surface to breathe.

The aquarium said the hoops were perfect for the seals to practice porpoising.

They added that they were confident their seals could now win the hoop jump in any potential seal-orientated Olympic events.

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