Sea Lions Clap, Flip, and Steal the Show at the Dubuque County Fair (PHOTOS)

The 71st Annual Dubuque County Fair has officially concluded, putting a bow on another week of fun in numerous respects. From the delicious, local food, bevy of animals, multiple concerts, rides, and more, it was another tremendous year for the area as thousands came out to experience all that the fairgrounds and the larger community has to offer.

Of all the fun to be had at the fair this year, I found one exhibit that was difficult to top. It was so enjoyable that my girlfriend and I made it a point to see it twice. It was something you truly don't see every day, and each show drew a crowd of upwards of a hundred people of all ages.

The exhibit was the "Sea Lion Splash," which had two showings from Tuesday - Thursday and three shows Friday - Sunday. Each show was about 20 minutes in length and free to attend. The "Sea Lion Splash" featured two beautiful South American sea lions performing for audiences, showing their versatility, flexibility, and of course, their splashing ability too!

The show was hosted by a gentleman named Jimmy, who had the attentive ears of both sea lions, Ada and Sarah. The show worked two-fold in entertaining the public and also briefly teaching folks, particularly children, about the dangers of pollution, which of course was handled with pointed humor.

Besides being absolutely adorable, the sea lions themselves were a talented bunch. With the gentle guidance of Jimmy, Ada and Sierra showed they were capable of a number of tricks: clapping, flipping, posing, and even balancing the entirety of their body weight on their fins. It was a sight to behold.

The sea lions commanded so much attention that they were able to distract fairgoers who didn't even plan to see the show. This was the kind of display many found themselves wandering over to as it was happening.

Sea lions are found on the western and southeastern coasts of South America. They feed primarily off of fish with males establishing territories in hopes of attracting females. This proves successful particularly from a breeding aspect as the overall population of the species is plenty healthy at over 265,000.

While I wasn't able to find too much information this specific show, I did find that sea lion shows like the one seen at the Dubuque County Fair are popular at county fairs all across the country!

If you ever have the opportunity to witness sea lions in person, take it from me: seize it. You will be dazzled. The "Sea Lion Splash" show was the perfect dose of fun and uniquely compelling excitement at this year's Dubuque County Fair.