Dolphin Research Center (DRC), a world-renowned marine mammal education and research facility on Grassy Key Florida, is pleased to announce a program leading to a college-issued Certificate in Marine Mammal Behavior and Training. Students who successfully complete a career-focused series of five different courses will receive the Certificate in Marine Mammal Behavior and Training from the Florida Keys Community College.

            For over 25 years, DRC has specialized in teaching individuals of all ages about marine mammal husbandry, behavior modification, and a wide range of related topics.  Each seven-day course introduces students to Dolphin Research Center’s resident pod of dolphins and includes hands-on and in-water interactive experiences as well as classroom seminars and workshops, live marine mammal demonstrations and observations, and discussions with expert trainers, researchers and educators. 

            Course topics include, but are not limited to: marine mammal husbandry; marine mammal medical care and pathology; behavior modification and training; anatomy; physiology; maternity; population management; habitat and maintenance; environmental enrichment; cognitive and behavioral research methodology, design and implementation; dolphin acoustics; and communication; marine mammal law; and conservation.

            Animal experience includes but is not limited to: meal preparation; animal handling and behavior modification through operant conditioning; animal presentation and narration delivery; cognitive research design and implementation; behavioral observation and research; and animal enrichment design and implementation.

            The courses offered include: OCB 1301 Basic DolphinLab; OCB 1311 Dolphin Studies and Field Experience: Marine Mammal Care and Basic Training I; OCB 2313 Dolphin Studies and Field Experience: Advanced Marine Mammal Training & Enrichment II; and OCB 2310 Dolphin Studies and Field Experience: Cognitive and Behavioral Research with Marine Mammals; and EDG 1030 Dolphin Studies and Field Experience: Marine Mammal Education and Interpretation. Courses may either be taken consecutively or at different times throughout the year, depending on DRC scheduling.  In order to qualify for college credit, students must participate in all activities and successfully pass an exam that is given at the end of each course.

For further information please visit our website: www.dolphins.org or contact the Education Department at education@dolphins.org or (305) 289-1121 ext. 225.

Sincerely,

Dave Walton

Reservations Coordinator

Education Department

Dolphin Research Center

(305) 289-1121 ext. 288

dave@dolphins.org

"Dolphin Research Center...25 years of Teaching, Learning, and Caring for Marine Mammals and the Environment We Share."

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