Thomas Schrijvers, former senior animal care specialist and his team at Boudewijn Seapark, received the Best Training Training Award 2024 for introducing the 'end of session' / EOS-signal to the sea lions at the park. Schrijvers' innovative approach has not only improved the well-being of the animals but also addressed common criticisms about keeping marine mammals in human care.
Revisiting Marine Mammal Training
Critics often state that "an animal in human care has no choice." This sentiment was a significant motivator for Schrijvers to adopt a new perspective on training the sea lions at Boudewijn Seapark. A key reason for introducing the End of Session (EOS) signal was the behavior of Zazou, a 21-year-old California sea lion. Zazou viewed the end of a training session as a negative reinforcer, which led to persistent unwanted behavior.