Weekly Update 29

Hello Everyone!

Wow, spring break is alive and well in the Florida Keys. We have been very busy lately and we can tell which states are having their breaks at which time because when you ask where people are from, many different people say they are some from the same state. This week, everyone seems to be from Minnesota and Ohio. We have definitely been working hard to keep up with all of the visitors. There are reduced swim numbers, but all of the programs have been selling out the past few weeks! DRC is starting to feel that they have survived in the pandemic and things are looking brighter, I know the staff is very happy to hear that – I’m sure the dolphins are too.
I feel like I am starting to run out of exciting updates – though I know that is because I do it everyday verses individuals who don’t get a chance to be near dolphins. My days have been pretty similar this past week in that I am primarily out on sessions with the dolphins and interacting with guests all day now. All of our learning is coming together and we are being trusted to represent Dolphin Research Center and the marine mammal community to the public. I can’t really believe it sometimes.

We wrapped up our bird class last week, I will say that birds were a lot of fun and some of my most peaceful mornings were when I was just preparing their food for the day and feeding the peahens and then chickens. We three students are actually trying to train the chickens and have started keeping a collection of meal worms at our house for when the roosters come by at dusk. They have started to realize when we are out of class and will come running over when they see us head back to the residence.