How do you get a whale to do what you want?

• Training is done by "classical conditioning". A bridge stimulus, such as a whistle, is an immediate feedback to let the whale know the behaviour is correct. The whistle is paired with a reinforcer, which is anything that increases the frequency of the behaviour - so it's something that the whale enjoys, whether it's food, a rub-down, icecubes or being sprayed with the hose (this is like a massage for the whales). The whistle becomes associated with the reinforcement and the animal performs the behaviour in order to obtain this reinforcement. So, the behaviour is learned!
  
• Before whales get trained to perform behaviours, they are taught to follow a target (an extension of the arm) which acts as a focal point. It points the whale to a position or in a direction. It is done by touching the target to the whale. The trainers blow the whistle and reinforce the animal. This is repeated several times. Next, the target is positioned a few inches away and the trainers wait for the whale to touch the target. The whale now knows that whenever the target touches it, it gets reinforced, so it moves toward the target and touches it. After several successful repetitions, the target is moved further and further away until the whale is following the target. Now the target can be used to lead the whale through small steps of a behaviour.
  
• The trainers have specific signals for each behaviour. At the Aquarium there are two different types of behaviours taught. The fun behaviours are taught for the shows and for enrichment, while the husbandry behaviours are for the purpose of monitoring the health of the animals. Husbandry behaviours, such as the beluga whales' blood sample setup, are often incorporated into the shows.

Why use a whistle? Why not just shout to the whales to tell them they did a good job?

It is important to be consistent when training whales with reinforcement. The whistle, because of its high frequency, is an easier way to get the message across. It can be heard underwater and it is the right pitch.

How do we know what is reinforcing to a whale?

Since the marine mammals cannot tell us what they like and don't like, the trainers look carefully at the frequency of their behaviour after they apply a reinforcer. If the frequency goes down, the trainers will assume that the animal didn't like the reinforcement very much, so they try a different reinforcer - something that increases the frequency of the behaviour.

What if a whale refuses to do a behaviour or does it wrong?

The trainer doesn't want to draw attention to an incorrectly performed behaviour, so he or she does nothing. This 3-4 second pause acts like a "time out" referred to as the "least reinforcing stimulus". Whether a whale will perform a behaviour depends upon its energy levels on that particular day, which makes the shows unique. The shows are run on the basis that whatever happens will happen and the total health care of the animal is the main objective and so the whales are never forced into doing behaviours.

How do you maintain a whale's interest?

The trainers at the Aquarium use environmental enrichment to mentally stimulate the whales and dolphin. This is done by showing them new objects such as a television monitor, a mirror or any interesting or odd-shaped item. Children sometimes draw pictures to place on the windows of the underwater viewing area and whales will come by to look carefully at each one. Whales enjoy a challenge and one of the ways to provide a challenge is to teach them new behaviours.

What are some of the high energy behaviours of the whales/dolphin?

High energy behaviours may include breaches (leaping out of the water), dolphin jumps, and lobtailing

How long does it take to train a marine mammal?

There is no set time - it may take months or even years to train a marine mammal. It requires patience since the training has to take place in gradual steps called approximations. It takes many hours of relationship building prior to training before the animal may respond to the trainer.

Is there danger involved in training whales?

There is always the possibility of danger when working with wild animals, however if the trust between trainer and animal is solid the chance of injury is reduced. Trainers regularly dive safely in the beluga habitat to train and play with the belugas.

Can whales recognize individual trainers?

The whales do recognize individual trainers. If a trainer happens to be in the underwater viewing area, they will come by the window to see what's going on.

What equipment do trainers use to train the marine mammals?

Trainers wear wet suits and scuba gear to dive into the beluga habitat. While training above the water they wear waterproof clothing and rain boots, and their whistles around their necks. A target pole, which acts as an extension of the trainer's arm, may be used for the more high-energy behaviours. As well, enrichment items are brought out for the marine mammals such as shaped ice and frisbees for the sea otters.

How are the seals, sea lions and sea otters trained?

These marine mammals are most trained for husbandry and enrichment purposes, not to perform for audiences. The Steller sea lions, in particular, are trained for research. They are trained to lie still while researchers take measurements of their body, to swim on the swimmill to check energy levels, or to wear a special camera "backpack" (called a Critter Cam) to research possible use on wild Stellers to reveal their underwater habits. The Aquarium, in partnership with the North Pacific Universities Marine Mammal Research Consortium is hoping to learn more about the declining population of wild Steller sea lions by studying trained Stellers at the Aquarium.

How long are training sessions?

Training sessions vary in length from a few minutes to thirty minutes, depending on the interest of the marine mammals. The sessions may be very short even though an animal is attentive, if the goal of the session is achieved.

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