Patty
| Gender | Female |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Senior Marine Mammal Trainer |
| Introduction | I have been a trainer at the New England Aquarium for six years. I started out as a volunteer, putting my time in bucketing fish and cleaning the exhibits. When a position as a trainer opened up, I was hired for the job! Since then I have had the opportunity to work with sea lions, harbor seals, fur seals and a green sea turtle. Currently I train Reggae, a 215lb Atlantic harbor seal. He is very mellow and incredibly intelligent. Recently, he and I have started doing underwater training. It has been so fun! I also train Cordova and Baranov our 13 and 14 year old northern fur seals. Where Baranov is laid back, Cordova is a bundle of energy. Training things with her is a pure joy because she is so smart and attentive. Sometimes I wonder who is training who! Baranov has been wonderful to work with as well. He has no vision so it has been a great training challenge to find ways to give him information to accomplish our goals. I also have the pleasure of working with Myrtle the green sea turtle. She weighs 550 lbs! Although this job is hard work and can be physically demanding, it is also incredibly rewarding. Where else do you have the opportunity to bond with these animals? :) |