Where can I go to swim with the dolphins and learn more about them?

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flightpillow

Hi there, there is actually something new heading to cancun atlantida cancun "the dolphin research program" I visited last week, This innovative five-day program is intended for the person who has longingly desired to become intimately acquainted with a dolphin and understand its being. By assisting scientists conduct innovative cognitive and behavioral research projects, participant will gain a better understanding of how dolphins experience their aquatic and alien world. In addition, time is provided throughout the week to observe dolphin behavior and interact with these marvelous marine mammals from the docks and floating platforms.

Assistant researchers begin their enchanting week by meeting their enigmatic dolphin subjects from floating platforms. At this time basic dolphin anatomy, physiology and behavior is explained while participants gently stroke the dolphin's sensitive skin. Furthermore, proper feeding techniques are taught and then practiced by the program participants.

Following this initial introduction, the resident researcher explains the current research projects, emphasizing what we, as people, hope to learn from these studies. Program participants learn their various roles in these projects, which vary from presenting different objects and symbols to the dolphin subjects, to recording data, to videotaping the sessions. Each assistant then fulfils her vital role during the first research session of the week, which is then discussed at its conclusion. The remainder of the week is filled with similar research sessions where the research assistants interchange roles so that each person has the opportunity to experience the various aspects of dolphin research training and trials.

Although there is not such thing as typical in dolphin cognition research, a typical week contains approximately 15 research sessions. Furthermore, program participants learn about the various aspects of dolphin husbandry and training, including diet preparation, daily health examinations and use of various training tools and techniques. Assistant researchers culminate their week of incredible dolphin experiences by participating in AtlantidaÂ´s Dolphin Swim Program.

What type of research projects are conducted at Atlantida?

The Dolphin Research Program is a new interactive dolphin program offered by Atlantida. As such, this program is in its infancy, but growing quickly. Cognitive dolphin research is currently being conducted at Atlantida in collaboration with Dr. Stan Kucazj and the University of Southern Mississippi.

Recent work investigated the ability of two dolphins to use symbols to indicate their preference for higher quantities of fish. An adolescent female dolphin named Oceana and an adolescent male dolphin named Trident participated in this study. When given a choice, both dolphins selected the symbol that resulted in receiving five capelin fish as opposed to a single fish or no fish at all. Similarly, when these dolphins only had a choice between selecting a single fish or no fish, they both preferred to receive a single fish. Although these results may no seem surprising, they are important because they demonstrate that at least some dolphins are capable of discriminating between different symbols and using these symbols to acquire higher quantities of fish. This study helps pave the way for future research projects.

A second research project is currently underway that investigates bottlenose dolphin memory. Two dolphins subjects are currently learning a match-to-sample task, a common psychological task that is used to explore various aspects of memory, especially in non-human animal subjects. In this task, the dolphin is shown a sample object. This object is then subsequently removed and replaced with two matching objects, one of which is identical to the sample. The dolphinÂ´s task is to select the object that matches the sample by touching its rostrum to the identical object. Variations of the match-to-sample task can be manipulated.

Program duration is five days, from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm , Monday to Friday and includes hotel accommodations for one week, multiple dolphin sessions for five days, two Dolphin Research Program T-Shirts, daily lunch and beverages.

Have fun , I'm sooo excited about this one I love dolphins

Bailey

i think it was an anheiser/Busch park down in Florida (you can find the link i do believe on the sea world page?) that had a dolphin park with all kind of different packages (which i would LOVE to do..) they can be a bit pricey! they also have it at sea world

mexico2uk

As this is in the Cancun heading I would assume you are visiting that area. I would recommend Xel-Ha or Xcaret for swimming with dolphins, both are about an hour to an hour and a half from Cancun but you can buy all-inclusive tours. You can google each one, they have their own websites.
The other two place that are actually in Cancun are just swimming pools - not too dolphin friendly for my liking.
In Xel-Ha and Xcaret the dolphins are at least in an enclosure more like their natural habitat. (in my opinion Xel-Ha is better for snorkelling if you want to try that as well).

audrey_halley2004

sea world in Houston, Texas or in Hawaii they have sea world facilities there too.

Elvira V

You can go to acapulco,mexico is really cool man!

stella39

You will be able to swim with the dolphins in May at Dream Cancun, they are opening a dolphin aquarium.They will have 6 dolphins, each dolphin will have it's own handler/trainer. They are allowing 36 people on each tour. 6 people per dolphin. The dolphins are 2nd,3rd and 4th generation breds. The cost will be $149 and the Arturos company will be in charge of the dolphins. I believe it's the same company that does the dolphin tour at Xcaret.

Be sure to call and sign up early. It's going to be a very popular tour.

Have fun
s

Carlos

the only place i know is mexico. i went there last month and i was able to swim, touch and play with the dolphins for almost 2 hours. cancun and cabo san lucas are the best places

kiddiekate07

Xcaret Park is the best place to go swim with the dolphins, not bad price either. Also there are like a million other things you can do there like zip-line, a small zoo, stingerless bees. Go to the website just Google it!!!

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