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Posts Tagged ‘animal trainer’

Moving Time: SeaWorld Trainer Moves to New Waters


November 10, 2009 by TriciaDees • 7 Comments »
Posted in Around the Park, animals

To be a great trainer, I need to be able to train a variety of animals through a variety of techniques.  A perfect trainer at SeaWorld can work both pinnipeds (seals, sea lions, and walruses) and cetaceans (whales and dolphins.)

To this example, I have been moved around a bit in my animal training career at SeaWorld San Antonio.  I started as an apprentice at Shamu Theater, then worked at Beluga Stadium seven years ago.  After one year working in the Interaction Programs, I have been at the Sea Lion Stadium for the last five years.

I recently found out that I’m moving back to Beluga Stadium.  I look forward to starting anew and getting to know all of the new animals I will be working with.  I will miss the animals at Sea Lion Stadium, and I will always remember driving the sea lions around on the cart, teaching some of them to paint and of course, the animal I have worked with the longest, Spanky, the sea lion.

These animals are more than co-workers sometimes and I hope the bond we have with them is conveyed when guests see the shows.  I attached one of my favorite pictures of my times at Sea Lion Stadium, and look forward to capturing memories with my new co-workers.

One of my favorite moments at Sea Lion Stadium

One of my favorite moments at Sea Lion Stadium

Let me know if there are any interesting things you would like to know about my new venture at Beluga Stadium.

Tricia


 

SeaWorld Starts Weekends-Only Schedule, But Not the Animal Trainers!


September 10, 2009 by ChuckCureau • 5 Comments »
Posted in Around the Park, Features, animals

Senior Trainer, Kristie Lacy, teaching Beethoven to touch a target

Senior Trainer, Kristie Lacy, teaching Beethoven to touch a target

The end of summer means weekend-only operation for SeaWorld.  Every year at this time people ask, “Now that you don’t have shows, what do you do?”  Well my friends, rest assured that the off-season is often just as busy if not busier than the summer season for an animal trainer.  We have plenty of projects to keep us busy.


At the Beluga Stadium, one of our big off-season projects is Beethoven.  Remember him?  He was the first beluga born at our park back in 1992 and he just returned in June.  Over the past three months he has done remarkably well.  He has successfully been acclimated with the rest of the beluga family, including Bella the baby.  We’re really excited because Beethoven is now learning to participate in our Beluga Interaction Program. Select guests have had the opportunity to get to meet him up close and he is responding very well to the attention.  He is proving to be a gentle and sweet whale who seldom tussles with the others and is eager to learn. We love having him here.

Aside from the Beethoven project, one thing that has happened this fall season is the annual shifting of trainers between stadiums.  Each year at this time we give some trainers the opportunity to work at other stadiums within the park. This proves very beneficial to a trainer’s career because it not only gives them experience working with other animals, but just as important, it gives them experience working with other team members.  I will go so far as to say that many of our standout trainers have spent time at all of our animal training areas. Good luck to Darcy, Tiffany, Jeremy, Chaz , Ann, Slade, Catherine, Greg, Tricia, Scott, and Todd as they begin the next chapter in their animal training careers.


Other off-season projects for members of the Animal Training staff include training new show behaviors (look for some exciting changes to the VIVA! show in 2010!  More on that in future posts), teaching trainers new show roles, serving on various park committees, as well as taking care of the many administrative duties of our job.  We’ll be very busy during the weekdays, but we look forward to seeing our guests on weekends.

Continued success and blessings.


Chuck


 

Achieving Your Dreams


July 1, 2009 by KatieHornstrom • 11 Comments »
Posted in Around the Park
SeaWorld San Antonio animal trainer Robyn Cox manages to live her dream while controlling her Type 1 Diabetes.

SeaWorld San Antonio animal trainer Robyn Cox manages to live her dream while controlling her Type 1 Diabetes.

I love hearing people’s stories!  Everyone has at least one unique and special experience.  Part of my job is escort media crews working on stories at SeaWorld San Antonio.  Recently, I got to hear an interview with one of our trainers that actually brought tears to my eyes.

According to the American Diabetes Association,  Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and was previously known as juvenile diabetes.  This means people like Robyn have to get several injections of insulin a day and adhere to a balanced diet to keep healthy.

Robyn began her SeaWorld career as a Husbandry Assistant selling fish to guests wanting to feed the dolphins.  She dreamed of becoming an animal trainer, but after being diagnosed at 13 years old with Type 1 diabetes, she had some pretty severe obstacles to overcome.  Before even applying for a training job, Robyn had to search for someone to certify her to scuba dive, a requirement for the position at SeaWorld.  It seems there are very few folks willing to certify a diabetic since the risks associated with diving are compounded by diabetes.  Robyn ended up having to contact a doctor in Florida, while still in San Antonio, to set-up a special diet plan and regimen while working to get scuba certified.  After working for several years toward her dream, Robyn finally became an animal trainer.

Animal training at SeaWorld is hectic and physically demanding.  Even after getting the job, Robyn still works very hard to control her diabetes.  While most of her co-workers go on break and to lunch in their wetsuits and Viva! show gear, Robyn had to make time everyday to eat a proper meal and get out of her wetsuit several times a day to take each of her insulin shots.  She had even refused to get an insulin pump (which would have allowed her to stop the shots) until just recently, when she found a waterproof pump that allowed her to keep her animal training job!

Hearing Robyn’s story was amazing and an inspiration.  I certainly learned that if she could still achieve her dreams, despite numerous road blocks, there is no excuse for giving up on yours.

We were working with a crew from dLife TV, a show that showcases people living fulfilling lives with diabetes.  The crew interviewed SeaWorld San Antonio animal trainer Robyn Cox about her Type 1 diabetes, with the program scheduled to air in August.