Physical Danger

Physical Danger

The average bottle-nose dolphin weighs around 500kg (source). Imagine play-wrestling a 500kg man. Daunting and probably dangerous, no?

In fact, dolphin training can be quite dangerous. Dolphin trainers spend many hours per day in cold, fifty-five degree water. They regularly dive to depths around thirty-five feet (10.7 meters), and often need to move buckets (of fish, water, slime, who knows) weighing around fifty pounds throughout the day. This isn't a job for the easily intimidated.

The press is rife with stories of trainers working with dolphins and whales (especially orcas) injured and killed on the job. In 2013, a Marine Land worker was injured by a beluga whale. A whale at SeaWorld's Shamu park killed another trainer. And if you're not convinced of the danger, you can consult this long list.

If you happen to like theme parks but want to stay safe, can we interest you in a job as a churro stand worker? Or if you're in it for the animals, it's rare that a more backstage, less hands-on vet gets injured. Just some food for thought.