How do I become a marine animal trainer?

How do i become a Marine Animal trainer?

• love all animals and would love a job training them. I'm interested in Marine Animal training but don't know how to get started. If you have any other sort of Animal training that interest me I'd love to research about it. Also any colleges that would be perfect for the job would be great. Also,how much is the pay? Im currently in middle school right now and there having us find out all of this stuff now so we can be prepared. Can somebody please tell me how i can get started?

• Answer:

  I commend you on having a dream, and its a great one. I will tell you the truth though, it is not easy to become a marine animal trainer in this day and age, it is a job in very high demand and the employers only take the best. So here is some advice, -Volunteer everywhere you can, do the yuck jobs, that's where everyone starts. -Study either zoology or animal/child psycology. I wrote to Seaworld when I was your age asking this question and that's what they told me! A marine biology course is worth pretty much nothing (here in Australia anyway) -Be prepared to start in an unlikely position. In the park I was a trainer at I started in the cafe! Then I worked my way up to a photographer and then a trainer, it took four years but I was still in school so it was fine. -Make contacts in the parks. -Be good at communication and public speaking. I wasn't before I was a trainer but I love talking to people now! Especially about dolphins and seals. -The pay is bad, it is a career you do for the love of it, not the money. Hope that helps a bit!