Whale Trainer
Tips on Becoming a Whale Trainer
Everyone who is enthralled with whales will probably sometimes wonder what it would be like to be a whale trainer. And, what kind of training would someone need to become one? A person in the profession refers to himself not as a whale trainer but as marine animal trainer. In fact, if you decide to enter this profession, you will learn the skills you need to train not only whales, but also dolphins, walruses, seals, sea lions and other aquatic mammals.
Marine animal trainers are not marine biologists and they are not oceanographers. The first studies life in the ocean and the later studies the ocean itself. Marine animal trainers will learn about oceans and the life in them, but their particular focus will be hands-on training experience with the animals. A whale trainer or marine mammal trainer works with these sea creatures one-on-one, using positive reinforcement. This system of reinforcing positive behavior is known as operant conditioning.
A marine animal trainer will teach dolphins, whales and other sea mammals behaviors that can be used in shows, and other interactions to help people learn about and better understand these ocean inhabitants. They also care for the animals, and make sure they have the best in food, medical care, opportunities to socialize, and that they are always treated with respect. With proper training, whales, dolphins and other large sea mammals can often be treated by vets without the physical restraints that were needed in the past.
Becoming a whale trainer or marine mammal trainer may involve different requirements in education and experience depending on what kind of facility you wish to join. While in the past, many times you could be hired as an apprentice with just a high school diploma, today most facilities are looking for trainers to have at least a bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as biology or animal behavior. Some places will consider hiring people who have two-year degrees or certificates from animal training schools. The higher up you want to move in this field, the more education you will need.
Many people romanticize about what it is that a marine mammal trainer does. It takes a lot of hard work and a lot of experience to understand your particular animal and develop the ability to work one on one with him. There is much more to animal training than performing the shows that go on at aquatic animal facilities. You also have to prepare the food, clean, feed, and train the dolphins, whales or other animals. And don’t forget that you must learn all about safety for you and the animal, which sometimes will weigh thousands of pounds or hundreds of thousands of pounds.
If you want to be a marine animal trainer, the most important things are your attitude and the commitment that you are willing to make to the animals. If you are extremely positive in these areas, you will have no trouble learning the rest of the skills you will need for the job.