They’re talented…and great kissers — Sea lions at Six Flags have some amazing skills

We recently took a trip behind-the-scenes at Six Flags Great Adventure, to meet two very special marine mammals.

Meet Dichali and Anoki, California sea lions who call Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson their home! I was lucky to shake flippers with these girls, and had a front row seat to watch them glide through their water exhibit with such power and grace. And yes, there was some smooching involved too! (Please don't tell my wife.)

You know they're really cute you want to take one home with you.

But trainers Diana Costanzo and Jackie Barnicle are quick to point out that their sea lion family are not pets. While they are well-trained, Dichali and Anoki are wild animals. As such, they deserve respect and distance. And they eat a lot of fish!

At Safari Discoveries in the Golden Kingdom section of Great Adventure, you can see Dichali and Anoki interact with their trainers and each other. Their presentation is not a "show" — it's an interactive demonstration of these amazing animals' natural and learned behaviors. Education and advocacy are clearly big parts of the Six Flags mission.

Check out the video of our sea lion encounter above, and be sure to visit Dichali and Anoki the next time you're at Great Adventure!

Dan Zarrow is Chief Meteorologist and Chief Sea Lion Aficionado for Townsquare Media New Jersey. When he's not hanging out with sea mammals, he's forecasting the weather — follow him on Facebook or Twitter.