[IATCB] News and updates for Winter, 2024

Hello Visitor,

The International Avian Trainers Certification Board and the International Animal Trainers Certification Board, IATCB, offers you a way to gain professional credibility, increase your earnings potential, and advance your career. We live in a competitive world, and animal trainers are no different than anyone else looking for advanced knowledge and skill in their profession.  IATCB endorses voluntary certification by examination for all professionals involved with animals, including trainers, educators, handlers, veterinarians, and all others involved in the care and handling of animals.

IATCB Certification Grant Program

IATCB is pleased to introduce their new Grant Program. The purpose of the IATCB Certification Exam Grant is to remove financial barriers to certification for applicants volunteering or working in the field of animal/bird training who are interested in pursuing or furthering a training-related career.

IATCB will offer one bird trainer (CPBT-KA) and one animal trainer (CPAT-KA) grant per testing cycle. Please download the application form for more details. The form, when completed should be emailed to grant@iatcb.org.

This information is also on the web site, International Avian Trainers Certification Board - News (iatcb.org)

https://www.iatcb.org/newhome

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To find the list of recommended reading material go to International Avian Trainers Certification Board - Home (iatcb.org) and go to “Get Certified”

2024/25 Testing Dates

*Applications will not be accepted after 11:59pm Eastern on this date

To find the list of recommended reading material go to International Avian Trainers Certification Board - Home (iatcb.org) and click on “Get Certified”

Safe Recovery of Deceased Alligator Through Positive Reinforcement Training

Article by Robin Ryan, Manager of Ectotherms and Ambassadors, Naples Zoo

Naples Zoo’s largest habitat is a 1.2-acre natural swamp system that houses 5.6 adult American alligators.  The habitat is bordered by mangroves and contains coves, gator holes, an island, and a beach.  The water in the habitat flows from the nearby Gordon River and two natural sulfur springs. There are common food items in the swamp that the alligators regularly feed upon such as fish, turtles, raccoons, opossum, bobcat, and various bird species.  The alligators are also offered food 1-2 times per day from animal care professionals (ACPs.)  Food items offered from ACPs include raw chicken, rat, mouse, rabbit, chick, fish, and Mazrui crocodilian diet.  The alligators' range in size from almost 13 feet long at the largest, to just under 7 feet at the smallest.

Over the last several years the ectotherms team has worked with a positive reinforcement training to recall each individual by name, target each individual to a specific-colored target, and work on voluntary medical behaviors such as blood draws and rope desensitization.  Since the alligators can feed on their own in the habitat, participation with ACPs is 100% voluntary.  There is a scheduled training time daily for guest engagement, but other circumstances may arise that require ACPs to access the beach portion of the habitat.  ACPs may also need to access the alligator habitat by boat for maintenance, sometimes with support staff.  

The natural history of alligators is an ambush predator, often at the waters’ edge.  They can hunt large prey items such as deer and wild boar, dragging them into the water.  Smaller prey items will be eaten quickly in one swallow, but larger prey items are usually taken into deeper water to drown and stash in mangroves to feed on over the course of a few days.  Alligators are opportunistic when a food source is available.  In the natural environment they have been seen dragging large carcasses to the water.  They will also cannibalize smaller alligators and scavenge on deceased alligator carcasses.  

Alligators in their natural environment typically avoid humans, although instances have occurred.  Alligators that are food conditioned are often labeled as aggressive or nuisance alligators.  Often those animals pose a significant enough threat to humans and may be removed.

ACP, Gage, getting boat ready with alligator to the right of boat.

Since the alligators that call Naples Zoo home are food conditioned and have a history of positive reinforcement training, any time ACPs are present on the beach, or on a boat, the alligators are engaged and looking for food items.  Working in this free contact setting could pose serious safety issues if not handled correctly.  Any time work is being done in the habitat, via boat or on the beach, two ACPs call as many alligators to the edge of the beach as possible.  There is a lot of clear and important communication of alligators present, their behavior, and if they leave the beach to potentially investigate the novel item.

ACP, Lauren, stationing alligators at the beach while support staff and alligator ACPs work  in the background.

Recently the Naples Zoo ectotherms team had a real test of the alligators’ recall and training. Upon live check, one of the adult female alligators, ‘Smiles,’ was found deceased and floating about 100ft from the beach. As part of their natural behavior, three alligators were already interacting with the carcass. 

The team moved quickly into action.  Removal of a large carcass from the habitat with 10 other large alligators is no easy feat.  It required several teams’ participation.  The Vet team arrived with a stretcher and truck for transport and other animal teams were there to help open and close primary containment gates and help lift and move the deceased animal.    The Operations team was tasked to close off the walkways from public view before the zoo opened, and all available alligator personnel arrived to create a recovery plan.

As alligator ACPs entered the beach with the boat, nine of the ten alligators, including two that were interacting with the carcass, recalled to the beach.  Two ACPs held those nine alligators at the beach with intermittent reinforcement in the form of Mazuri crocodilian diet.  Three ACPs rowed out to the carcass where one of the large male alligators, ‘Scar,’ was holding onto a leg and displaying some resource-guarding behaviors.  In this situation there would be no recovery.  Our team is not equipped to essentially play tug-of-war from a rowboat, with him in his element.  The only option was wait until he released the carcass on his own.  This individual has a history of recalling to a station at the edge of the habitat.  We asked another ACP to try and recall him to that location since he was not showing interest in the beach.  On the second cue, he let go of the carcass and moved to the station and remained there with the ACP while the three team members in the boat were able to secure the deceased individual and bring her back to the beach.

Once at the beach, there was still the challenge of moving her past the other nine alligators, out of the water, and finally out of the habitat.  All nine other alligators stayed engaged with the ACPs reinforcing them on the beach, allowing other team members to safely access the beach to help lift and remove her.

As a new manager at this facility, I am sure that the long history of positive reinforcement that the ectotherms team has with these alligators was paramount in the successful and safe recovery of the deceased alligator.  From the initial recall to the beach, to working through the obstacle of having to recall ‘Scar’ to a different area, the whole process was very smooth and efficient.  While we miss ‘Smiles’ in our habitat, I am forever impressed with the way the team and the animals behaved that day.