John G. Shedd Aquarium Fall Internship

1. John G. Shedd Aquarium Fall Internship Becky Kunkel

2. Summary • What • Marine Mammal Internship • When • September 14th – February 13th • Where • Shedd Aquarium, Chicago IL • Why • One of the top animal internships in the nation • To work with Ken Ramirez • To learn training the “Shedd way”

3. Schedule • 2 Days of Orientation • Minimum of 35 hours a week • With commute, over 40 hours a week • All interns worked different days, but schedule stayed the same • 1 am shift (6:30am - 1:30pm) • 1 pm shift (12:30pm – 7:30pm • 1 12 hour shift (6:30am – 7:30pm with a half hour lunch) • 1 overnight shift (6:30pm – 12:30am, or 12:00am – 7:00am) • Shifts broken down into half hour chunks

4. Duties (what’s on paper) • 55% cleaning • Animal habitats • Community areas • 25% diet preparation • Primarily during the morning shift • 5% data collection • Pregnancy observations on belugas, then calf observations • 5% public interaction • Answering questions when in public areas • 5% project • Data collection and observation on an animal of our choice

5. Duties (what I actually did) • 55% cleaning • Scrubbing algae from habitats • Scrubbing sea lion reserve • Cleaning the MM kitchen (AM and PM) • Locker rooms/bathrooms • Common areas • Office • 25% diet preparation • 4 hours of sorting fish, weighing and bucketing for all 7 whales, 3 dolphins, 3 sea lions, and 5 otters (and the sharks and Wild Reef) • 5% data collection • Night shift (7 hours of minute by minute data collection on pregnant whales) • 5% public interaction • Show set up and breakdown, and assisting in training sessions • 5% project • You can choose an animal from a list that they provide

6. Training • Whistles for experienced staff, point bridge for newer staff • Fish as primary R+, variety of secondaries • Interns had to be “cleared” on behaviors • Guest behaviors • Vocalization • Spin • Spyhop • High hand target • Spit • Husbandry behaviors • Tongue/gum rub • Rubs • Blood “draws” • Ultrasounds • Advanced • Point bridge • Basic feed • A to B’s • Target stick

7. Staff Training • Each trainer “trained” on individual basis • Long list of skills needed to master for EACH animal • Time to “build relationships” (rappoire) • Skill is mastered when trainer demonstrates: • Verbal behavior (oral and written) • Skill itself • Takes years to earn training freedom • Senior trainers have been there 10+ years

8. Difficulties • Exhaustion • No breaks except on 12 hour day • Day is 90% manual labor • Short tempers • Mistakes were sometimes corrected harshly • Very high levels of professionalism • Communication between staff and interns needed work • Weekly staff meeting notes were not passed onto interns • No time to discuss training techniques • Staff not receptive to discussions about ORCA’s research

9. What I loved • Everything in its place • Incredibly organized • No slackers • Everyone works hard, and helps out • Passionate people • Everyone loves what they do • Two births • 33 • 91 • Good times • We cut loose…. A lot!

11. Ken Ramirez Fun Facts • History of acting • Theater • Voiceovers • Christmas Party • White House guest • Open Door Policy • Available majority of time • Staff meetings • Family man

12. Project • Kayavak • 10 year old adult beluga whale • Hand raised from 6 months of age • Outgoing, solicits attention • Project • Peer aggression • Mating behaviors • However… • No control over variables

13. Ethogram

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15. Project Results

16. Project Results

17. Project Results

18. What I Learned • Exciting (but stressful) times for Shedd • Transitional period • Dog show ended, dogs finding new homes • New show +2 pregnant whales = stressed staff • Animal contact minimal • Our group had even less training time than interns before us • Incredibly physically demanding • No breaks • Long hours (expected to show up early/stay late if needed) • Always moving • Interns work harder than staff (even Ken said it)

19. However • Overall, a positive experience • I recommend this internship for those that are strong willed and strong bodied! • Very much worth it, once in a lifetime experience!