![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4CKO3JDJMFCW3EUUIVT27BZ7NA.jpg?smart=true&auth=94a806d433f378774dd44a270e22df1fc42c060385851ab6bc5e46478c53b0df&width=400&height=225)
Cotton top-tamarin performers with visitors at SeaWorld Abu Dhabi
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TUIXPIJG4FEG5M7GHUY5LFA6KY.jpg?smart=true&auth=bb2ad96121586613e8c1f472809fdec2141730290fc7b48725b0e1ab1c97e554&width=400&height=225)
SeaWorld Abu Dhabi performers Benjamin Ratcliffe as a cotton-top tamarin and Matthew Wagner as a jaguar. All photos: Victor Besa / The National.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XW6KBIU2MVGAHOVKSHRVYD2ZQU.jpg?smart=true&auth=3b837cb9cce07f265d867c1b43ca21db114f943ce6739c2187a2d7c9f5abbe8d&width=400&height=225)
From left, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi performers Benjamin Ratcliffe, Andres Lin Fan, Ren Carter and Matthew Wagner
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QSTKYYGQBRCCVLDTMN55KNKYQ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=b7203c37ab90a32cd2036f641890ac21a8669d42c60bc67072b96df7a3cfb221&width=400&height=225)
Sloth performer Ren Carter does her make-up before the show
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Wagner sets his jaguar face paint before the show
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/N7HW4QYT2JDFRKO3LZYWYVGUAI.jpg?smart=true&auth=19f15a9c6cf0153700f5bec8f50051a7154d073af8c12c234750f6d687a016b9&width=400&height=225)
Andres Lin Fan gets ready for the first show of the day
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/EWPCLMONMBCGTMETNITTEC76CU.jpg?smart=true&auth=d0e491050defddfcb4865447be5268c7f83e554e7e4c60963c4efb0b43ba19eb&width=400&height=225)
The performers do their own make-up
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/O2PYW4725ZB4LDGW6PHBENED3E.jpg?smart=true&auth=82e8537a58c47063b6fad849e474b841d7f0fdcaa6ebc93eccdf9eaa7be30e2c&width=400&height=225)
Ratcliffe and Lin Fan in full costume as cotton top-tamarins
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3TSDHNWAONBLBNA6W4DAN3Q5FE.jpg?smart=true&auth=748b7f42ea2ae773dde797349c651ab67f35fbc24bd0d8055ee1245dc02b9342&width=400&height=225)
Carter in full costume as a sloth
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RZHHNPHE2ZAL3LW7UTIG65XYLE.jpg?smart=true&auth=29d70db7601dc7dd6a26ebe7247f2f79beda9ff4bf91ebaca1a8b28d0660f8d9&width=400&height=225)
Visitors to SeaWorld Abu Dhabi interact with the cotton top-tamarin performers
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OA7TQQJDYZERFNSPT423HC73D4.jpg?smart=true&auth=133529bef36ff28d65195d799d929c7da98c75d21b92760ae6b60c5e5a840466&width=400&height=225)
The performers do four shows a day at the marine life theme park
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3XPLEKA6CFF63MDPP3GWXIJAPE.jpg?smart=true&auth=ed671068c3a674fb155a5411e6c1b627472f75a4b02c8d3dbbf450ead3be4a2e&width=400&height=225)
When the performances are over, the performers join visitors to the park for meet-and-greets
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HNGRF6SFSFHITBUKUZZEK4FPM4.jpg?smart=true&auth=93c70e98f5c232521efcd67baafbac4a01848533366accc1b9de7b6ce09c252e&width=400&height=225)
One of the most challenging parts of being a performer is staying physically fit
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5ZBAGJQIMFAADDE4GGQX2GRACA.jpg?smart=true&auth=161e17d0fefc66dfaf6524ce1c0be3cdd51f37d66870282495bbca63217fd569&width=400&height=225)
Visitors at an animal performance at SeaWorld Abu Dhabi
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4CKO3JDJMFCW3EUUIVT27BZ7NA.jpg?smart=true&auth=94a806d433f378774dd44a270e22df1fc42c060385851ab6bc5e46478c53b0df&width=400&height=225)
Cotton top-tamarin performers with visitors at SeaWorld Abu Dhabi
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TUIXPIJG4FEG5M7GHUY5LFA6KY.jpg?smart=true&auth=bb2ad96121586613e8c1f472809fdec2141730290fc7b48725b0e1ab1c97e554&width=400&height=225)
SeaWorld Abu Dhabi performers Benjamin Ratcliffe as a cotton-top tamarin and Matthew Wagner as a jaguar. All photos: Victor Besa / The National.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XW6KBIU2MVGAHOVKSHRVYD2ZQU.jpg?smart=true&auth=3b837cb9cce07f265d867c1b43ca21db114f943ce6739c2187a2d7c9f5abbe8d&width=400&height=225)
From left, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi performers Benjamin Ratcliffe, Andres Lin Fan, Ren Carter and Matthew Wagner
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QSTKYYGQBRCCVLDTMN55KNKYQ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=b7203c37ab90a32cd2036f641890ac21a8669d42c60bc67072b96df7a3cfb221&width=400&height=225)
Sloth performer Ren Carter does her make-up before the show
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SWPQDVAOSBGSVHVLTKGEB2OO2U.jpg?smart=true&auth=6ad67e67dd4feccaef84c7abbe32afbbd6957c0934c7dd968fb77c834d636a04&width=400&height=225)
Wagner sets his jaguar face paint before the show
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/N7HW4QYT2JDFRKO3LZYWYVGUAI.jpg?smart=true&auth=19f15a9c6cf0153700f5bec8f50051a7154d073af8c12c234750f6d687a016b9&width=400&height=225)
Andres Lin Fan gets ready for the first show of the day
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/EWPCLMONMBCGTMETNITTEC76CU.jpg?smart=true&auth=d0e491050defddfcb4865447be5268c7f83e554e7e4c60963c4efb0b43ba19eb&width=400&height=225)
The performers do their own make-up
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/O2PYW4725ZB4LDGW6PHBENED3E.jpg?smart=true&auth=82e8537a58c47063b6fad849e474b841d7f0fdcaa6ebc93eccdf9eaa7be30e2c&width=400&height=225)
Ratcliffe and Lin Fan in full costume as cotton top-tamarins
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3TSDHNWAONBLBNA6W4DAN3Q5FE.jpg?smart=true&auth=748b7f42ea2ae773dde797349c651ab67f35fbc24bd0d8055ee1245dc02b9342&width=400&height=225)
Carter in full costume as a sloth
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RZHHNPHE2ZAL3LW7UTIG65XYLE.jpg?smart=true&auth=29d70db7601dc7dd6a26ebe7247f2f79beda9ff4bf91ebaca1a8b28d0660f8d9&width=400&height=225)
Visitors to SeaWorld Abu Dhabi interact with the cotton top-tamarin performers
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OA7TQQJDYZERFNSPT423HC73D4.jpg?smart=true&auth=133529bef36ff28d65195d799d929c7da98c75d21b92760ae6b60c5e5a840466&width=400&height=225)
The performers do four shows a day at the marine life theme park
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3XPLEKA6CFF63MDPP3GWXIJAPE.jpg?smart=true&auth=ed671068c3a674fb155a5411e6c1b627472f75a4b02c8d3dbbf450ead3be4a2e&width=400&height=225)
When the performances are over, the performers join visitors to the park for meet-and-greets
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HNGRF6SFSFHITBUKUZZEK4FPM4.jpg?smart=true&auth=93c70e98f5c232521efcd67baafbac4a01848533366accc1b9de7b6ce09c252e&width=400&height=225)
One of the most challenging parts of being a performer is staying physically fit
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5ZBAGJQIMFAADDE4GGQX2GRACA.jpg?smart=true&auth=161e17d0fefc66dfaf6524ce1c0be3cdd51f37d66870282495bbca63217fd569&width=400&height=225)
Visitors at an animal performance at SeaWorld Abu Dhabi
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4CKO3JDJMFCW3EUUIVT27BZ7NA.jpg?smart=true&auth=94a806d433f378774dd44a270e22df1fc42c060385851ab6bc5e46478c53b0df&width=400&height=225)
Cotton top-tamarin performers with visitors at SeaWorld Abu Dhabi
Photo essay: How SeaWorld Abu Dhabi performers prepare for daily shows
Actors dress up as animals, apply make-up and entertain crowds at the Yas theme park
Victor Besa
23 February, 2024
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