Understanding the animal you work with, is pivotal for your development as an animal trainer.
The best way to become a great trainer is upgrading your training knowledge by learning and researching information about the animals you work with and by continuously learning new techniques. Learn about you animals physical and biological characteristics.
As a female animal trainer, I was flabbergasted when I learnt one particular aspect affecting adult female whales, showing they are not too different to us. It is amazing to realise that adult marine mammals go through hormonal changes in later life, just like us females. Knowing this, gives a trainer the opportunity to know and understand the reason why some behaviours or manoeuvres of older female mammals, may be affected at certain times, without any obvious reason.
Besides humans, only four other mammals are known to experience menopause and they are all whales, they are;
Beluga Whale
Narwhals Whale
Killer Whales
Short-Finned Pilot Whales
Although most humans with ovaries go through menopause, marking the end of the child-bearing years, most animals do not. Almost all animals continue reproducing throughout their lives. Now a new study has found two whale species Beluga and Narwhal that do go through menopause, bringing the total number of known menopausal species to five. Scientists have long been puzzled, about why these few species have evolved in such a way, stopping reproduction, partway through life.
The more you know about your animal, the better results you can achieve during training sessions and if your animal realizes you understand them, the more trust you can gain.
creds to inet images
Via Dolphin 