Christa's Marine Mammal Internship

My name is Christa Barrett, and as many of you know I’m currently wrapping up my first year at The University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine where I will be specializing in aquatic animal health. An important extension to my education includes a hands-on summer internship. I am extremely fortunate to be one of a select few chosen for a 3 month long internship at Dolphins Plus in Key Largo.

This internship will allow me the opportunity to work directly with marine mammals including atlantic bottlenose dolphins and sea lions, providing essential applied knowledge and experience to help me achieve my dream of becoming a marine mammal veterinarian. I will be involved with daily animal care of these animals including diet preparation, enclosure maintenance, and training/ handling of the animals. Along with these tasks, I will be taking classes to gain a deeper knowledge of the anatomy and behaviors of marine mammals, learning ways to better our conservations efforts, working with educating the public, and collecting data for research.

This amazing opportunity also comes with additional costs including room & board, food, and transportation for the summer of approximately $3000. As this is an unpaid internship, any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks to everyone for the support and encouragement to follow my dream of working with marine mammals!