It looks like pure play: a harbor seal gleefully chasing a rubber duck. But for Reggae at the New England Aquarium in Boston, the toy is part of a training routine meant to keep him learning.
When the 33-year-old Atlantic harbor seal plays fetch with the rubber duck in his habitat built to mimic the region’s rocky shore, he’s practicing memory, problem-solving and focus — skills trainers say are essential to keeping animals in human care mentally and physically engaged.
