Julie Scardina is Animal Ambassador and Corporate Curator for
SeaWorld,
Busch Gardens
Busch Gardens is the name of two amusement parks in the United States, owned and operated by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. The original park is in Tampa, Florida, and the second park is in Williamsburg, Virginia. There were also previously B ...
, and
Discovery Cove zoological parks. She was formerly curator of animal training for
SeaWorld San Diego
SeaWorld San Diego is an animal theme park, oceanarium, outside aquarium and marine mammal park, in San Diego, California, United States, inside Mission Bay Park. It is owned and operated by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.
SeaWorld San Diego ...
.
Scardina is a professional animal trainer and educator, who is perhaps best known for regular appearances on ''
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'',
[50 appearances as of the 15 May 2009 episode, as stated by Leno.] where she was introduced by Leno as the most frequent guest before he ended his reign. Scardina's segments focused on conservation information about species and what the public can do to help animals. Scardina also appears monthly on ''
Today'' with animal information segments and formerly filmed weekly segments for ''
Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures''.
Biography
In 1975, Scardina graduated from
Agoura High School.
Scardina graduated from
San Diego State University with a major in
psychology and a minor in
biology, after attending a program at
Moorpark College in Exotic Animal Training and Management.
Scardina has worked for years with
killer whales, as well as
dolphins,
sea lions, and many other animals at the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks.
Scardina has been a board member of the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, which supports conservation education, habitat protection, species research, and animal rescue and rehabilitation around the globe. She has traveled 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.
Scardina is co-author, along with Jeff Flocken of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, of "Wildlife Heroes: 40 Leading Conservationists and the Animals They Are Committed to Saving" published by Running Press 2012. The book profiles species, conservation issues, and people who have dedicated their lives to making a difference.
Notes
References
External links
*
*"Training workers the SeaWorld way"
USA Today
Retrieved on September 15, 2006.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scardina, Julie
1957 births
Living people
American television personalities
Moorpark College alumni
San Diego State University alumni
Place of birth missing (living people)
American women television personalities