Cancun, Quintana Roo, March 16, 2023
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The DolphinCompany, a worldwide park operator, recently won anoutstanding award and actively participated in the annualconference of the International Marine Animal Trainers’Association (IMATA) held this month in Atlanta, Georgia, in collaboration with the Animal Behavior Management Alliance (ABMA). Both associations are recognized internationally fortheir animal care and training high standards.
IMATA is an association dedicated to the improvement of humane care and handling of marine animals that, through anannual conference, fosters communication among professionalsin the service of marine animal science through training, research, conservation, and education. On the other hand, theABMA is a non-profit organization integrated by specialists in animal care that seeks to innovate in the care and managementtechniques of the species to achieve their total well-being.
During the conference, The Dolphin Company received firstplace in the 'Educational Impact' category for the presentation"One Glide Ahead", a work of its Zoomarine park in Italy in which, for the first time in history, a flying squirrel (Petaurusbreviceps) voluntarily allowed itself to be x-rayed. Zoomarinehas 11 specimens of this species in its care and is the only parkin Europe that has an educational and interactive program withthe public.
In addition to receiving the award, Daniela de la Cadena & Francesca Cenci, ambassadors and presenters of "One GlideAhead", were nominated for the "Most Influential People of the Conference" award, thanks to the impressive results presented. Likewise, The Dolphin Company made a second presentationduring the conference, in which they talked about their trajectoryin the conditioning of the Caribbean manatee, a speciesconsidered endangered. This species has been part of its familysince 2001, and thanks to that it has been able to performvoluntary medical behaviors applicable to wildlife specimensand has contributed to the preservation of the species byattending the birth of the 11 calves that have been born in itscare through the 'Miracle' breeding program.
Additionally, The Dolphin Company presented an infographicin the "Poster" category that talks about how they havesuccessfully developed and implemented tools to theirinteractive and environmental education programs in all of theirfamily parks and habitats around the world that allow them to be empathetic to the visually and hearing impaired through Braille material and sign language training for their staff.
"We are very proud of our participation in the annualconference. Not only did we present a unique and innovativeway to get x-rays voluntarily, but we had the opportunity toshow our track record of more than twenty years in manateecare and conservation, and we were also able to demonstrateeverything we have been doing in our parks in terms of inclusionso that as well as us, our colleagues know the importance of having programs and trained staff to serve all our visitorswithout exception so that their experience is memorable," said Edgar Urbina, Director of Marine Mammal Specialists at TheDolphin Company.
The Dolphin Company has participated for more than twentyyears in this conference and has obtained 22 awards in categories such as training, education, medical care, and conservation, among others, demonstrating its firm commitmentto contributing to and promoting environmental education, inclusion, care, and conservation of species, not only those thatlive under its care but also those found in the wild.
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