What is the level of education and/or training required to be a marine mammal trainer?
Generally, most people require a Bachelor of Science degree. This degree could be in something like zoology, biology, psychology, or marine biology. Some trainers may instead have an Animal Health Technician degree from a technical school. Also, scuba certification and experience is a mandatory part of the job. Is there a lot of competition to be a marine mammal trainer? While working with marine mammals in an aquarium is a fascinating and rewarding career, it is one that is difficult to get started in. There are only two aquariums in Canada that house marine mammals, and the competition for those few positions is fairly stiff. There are work opportunities in the U.S. and around the world, but again, there is a lot of competition. It is also fairly unlikely that there will be many new aquariums built over the next 10 years or so. Do you get to travel with your job – to engage in research or attend seminars? There are some opportunities for travel (trainer conferences and so on) and som
