Dolphin Connection Blog
Dolphin Connection Blog - October 201209/28/2012
Here at Dolphin Connection, we know without a doubt that we have the most wonderful job in the world, and it turns out lots of other people feel the same way! Last month the International Marine Animal Trainers’ Association (IMATA) held its Southeast Regional Workshop in the Florida Keys and while many of the attendees were animal trainers looking to gain new skills and meet new people, the majority were students looking for jobs, internships or continuing education opportunities. They want to do exactly what we get to do every single day!
After several busy workshop days filled with presentations, demonstrations, seminars and discussions, the animal trainers and trainers-in-training made their way to the Dolphin Deck at Hawks Cay Resort for a luncheon of tropical delights. When bellies were full and energy was recharged, many of the meeting attendees joined the Dolphin Connection team for some very special time with the dolphins. It’s not often that we have the privilege of welcoming our colleagues into the water with us, so it was with much excitement that we invited them down to see how we spend our days here in our island paradise. While there are many similarities among dolphin facilities, certainly standards of care that all IMATA and AMMPA (Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums) accredited facilities adhere to, there are also many differences. These differences are wonderful: they make us all unique and exciting and they’re the reason that you can visit zoos and aquariums around the world and never have the same experience twice. It is these differences that make it always so intriguing for people in the animal training field to visit each others’ animal parks, and the questions we have are typically somewhat different from those of the guests we usually host: How did you train that behavior? What kind of life vests do you use? Are you hiring?!
What an inspiring and fun group of folks to introduce to our dolphins! By the end of the day there were new friendships made, stimulating conversations happening and inspired students ready to reach for their goals. There’s nothing like seeing your life through someone else’s eyes to remind you of all you have to be grateful for. Is it really our job to swim with dolphins in the tropical waters of the Florida Keys? Why yes it is!
After several busy workshop days filled with presentations, demonstrations, seminars and discussions, the animal trainers and trainers-in-training made their way to the Dolphin Deck at Hawks Cay Resort for a luncheon of tropical delights. When bellies were full and energy was recharged, many of the meeting attendees joined the Dolphin Connection team for some very special time with the dolphins. It’s not often that we have the privilege of welcoming our colleagues into the water with us, so it was with much excitement that we invited them down to see how we spend our days here in our island paradise. While there are many similarities among dolphin facilities, certainly standards of care that all IMATA and AMMPA (Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums) accredited facilities adhere to, there are also many differences. These differences are wonderful: they make us all unique and exciting and they’re the reason that you can visit zoos and aquariums around the world and never have the same experience twice. It is these differences that make it always so intriguing for people in the animal training field to visit each others’ animal parks, and the questions we have are typically somewhat different from those of the guests we usually host: How did you train that behavior? What kind of life vests do you use? Are you hiring?!
What an inspiring and fun group of folks to introduce to our dolphins! By the end of the day there were new friendships made, stimulating conversations happening and inspired students ready to reach for their goals. There’s nothing like seeing your life through someone else’s eyes to remind you of all you have to be grateful for. Is it really our job to swim with dolphins in the tropical waters of the Florida Keys? Why yes it is!
Dolphin education and interaction programs in the Florida Keys. Swim with dolphins and learn about dolphin and marine conservation with the only on-property resort dolphin program in the continental U.S.
Phone: (888) 251-3674
