Professionals at work for you
Therapists
Patrick Jordan
“The unique contact and remarkable exchange between humans and dolphins inspires me daily.”
Merel Schuringa
“After work I come home with such a positive feeling, the patients and the dolphins make my work so special.”
Gerwin Bijker
“It is an honor working together with all these beautiful participants, as well as our amazing dolphins. I wouldn’t miss this for all the gold in the world.”
Dolphin Trainers
Romy van Leeuwen
Why have you choose to work at CDTC?
I started as an intern in 2009/2010 in the dolphin trainer department. After a wonderful time it was time to go home again. I couldn’t get CDTC out of my head and after about a year I got the opportunity to come back and work as a dolphin trainer.
In which way do you contribute in making the difference?
I am a dedicated employee/person who is giving a 100% for the dolphins in our care.
Dolphins
Nubia
Nubia is the sister of Chabelita and Samí. She is very playful and enjoys all the attention she gets from her patients. You can recognize Nubia by her short and pointy rostrum.
Chabelita
Chabelita is a young female dolphin who is very energetic. She is always eager to learn new stuff and is very cuddly. Chabelita is curious and loves to chase fish and crabs. She is the daughter of Bonnie and the big sister of Nubia and Samí.
Bonnie
Bonnie is the mother of Chabelita, Nubia and Samí. Her motherly skills fit our program very well. She is very kind and sweet for our patients. You can recognize Bonnie by her big round eyes and her belly full of grey spots.
Our dolphins are the key to our program’s resounding success, and we consider them equal team members. That’s why we put our extraordinary focus on the wellbeing of our dolphins.
Bottlenose dolphins: a natural talent for therapy
The CDTC dolphins are Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins, and most of them are born at our facility more than 15 years ago or have come to Curaçao from the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences in Honduras. Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins are known for their gentleness, intuition, curiosity, eagerness to learn and to socialize with humans, - characteristics that make them perfect partners in therapy. A major part of the therapy income is designated on the wellbeing of our dolphins.
They work only in our therapy program
This elite group of dolphins are specifically in charge of CDTC’s program and participate only in therapy. They live in their natural environment in a constant flow of fresh seawater. The dolphins only participate in the therapy for a limited number of hours per day and are provided with a selective high-quality diet, in addition to which, CDTC has a specialized veterinarian on the premises.
Management
Kirsten Kuhnert
“We are here to make the difference. That’s what we had in mind, when we started building CDTC. And that is what we carried forward. We’re making that difference for hundreds of participants every year, every month, every week, every day.”
Jeannette Pot
Why have you choose to work at CDTC ?
Via my work as an executive assistant and HR at the Curaçao Sea Aquarium, I got involved with the CDTC and I just never left☺
In which way do you contribute in making the difference ?
We can only make a difference for our families together as a team; and as a team we go all the way to try to make everything possible for them. Thankful to work with such passionate and enthusiastic colleagues.
