Today is Flaherty the Northern fur seal's first birthday! On this special occasion, Aquarium CFO Walter Flaherty fed his namesake a birthday feast while visitors surprised the little seal with a round of happy birthday. Watch and listen to this special moment.



You can tell that Flaherty the seal is very comfortable around Walter. That's because they have a date every month! Walter visits the New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center to help feed the little (but growing quickly!) seal. Flaherty usually eats a yummy assortment of herring and silver sides. It just doesn't usually come out of a festive birthday gift bag.

Happy birthday, Flaherty!

Let's take a walk down memory lane to see how little Flaherty has grown up.

• The oh-so-adorable birth announcement
• Some of the first video of the little seal with his mom Ursula while the pair was behind the scenes
• Ursula was protective of her pup when he was introduced to the exhibit.
• Flaherty's best bud is Leu. These two definitely know how to play rough and tumble. (Just check out the examples here, here and here. Oh, boys!)
• Wee Flaherty was no match for some of this winter's snow drifts
• Flaherty's not the only one with a summer birthday! Here's how the harbor seals celebrate.

Visiting the fur seals, sea lions and harbor seals at the Aquarium has never been easier! Choose the day and time you wish to visit with timed ticketing.

Walter J. Flaherty, executive vice president, COO & CFO, New England Aquarium (BBJ)

The Aquarium is proud to announce that the formidable achievements of our Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Walter Flaherty have been recognized by the Boston Business Journal. Last week, Walter was awarded the Journal’s CFO of the Year Award in the non-profit category. Walter was co-winner of this award along with Ann C. Tikannen of the YMCA of Greater Boston Inc. The article announcing the award lists some recent achievements the Aquarium owes to Walter’s steady leadership.

"Over the last four years, Flaherty has presided over $20 million of capital improvements, including the new $10 million New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center, opened in 2009. In 2010, it opened a new $5 million Animal Care Center in Quincy, and in April 2011, opened the new $2 million Trust Family Foundation Shark and Ray Touch Tank in the west wing of the aquarium. About 1.3 million people visit the aquarium each year."

In addition to listing Walter’s successful financial management of the Aquarium, the article also touches on one of his newfound hobbies since Walter joined the Aquarium’s leadership team nine years ago—scuba diving. Not only does Walter don scuba gear and regularly enter the Aquarium’s Giant Ocean Tank. He has also joined Aquarium dive expeditions to the Bahamas and Belize.


See expedition posts from the Bahamas here.

And read his reports from a research expedition to Belize here.