The Concept of the Therapy in Dolphin Reef

Sophie Schwer Dolphin Reef Eilat Eilat, Israel

Six years ago, Dolphin Reef in Eilat, Israel was established. Dolphin Reef is a netted area of the Red Sea, 10,000 sq/m in size and 18 m in depth, home to 5 dolphins from the Black Sea and their offspring. They live as one group together amongst corals and fish. Several kinds of these fish are caught by the dolphins as their daily meal, in addition to what is given to them by the trainers. The dolphins regularly venture out into the open sea and stay outside as long as they wish. The fact that they choose to return to Dolphin Reef serves to reinforce the bond that has been established between us.

Today the family has expanded, 4 babies were born here and there are more to come. The concept of Dolphin Reef is: human-dolphin contact in the water without any reward of fish or anything else but rather the reward of playing and being patted by humans. People can visit the dolphins by guided snorkeling or diving, watch them swimming and playing around together, and sometimes they become a part of the dolphins' game or pat them when the dolphin chooses to come close enough for a "chat". All this is in order for the dolphins to behave naturally amongst themselves and toward humans.

The project "Therapy with the Aid of Dolphins" was conceived with the aim of improving handicapped children's quality of life and is based on the dolphins' natural desire to come into contact with humans.

Our therapy program has opened a door to many kinds of handicapped children such as : Down's Syndrome, anorexia, depression, cancer, post-traumatic, autism,deaf-muteness, different types of physical and mentally retarded problems and learning disabilities like: dyslexia, etc.

An individual program of one year for each child is devised according to his needs. Each session is divided into two parts: 1. Half an hour on the platform during training sessions with the trainers. A part of this session is conditional work with the dolphins. 2. Half an hour in the water, swimming with the dolphins. This session is completely unconditional, so meeting the dolphins in the sea is by their own free choice.

These two sorts of interaction complement each other and create a unique program, offering the child moments of joy, happiness, a sense of importance and self-confidence, and at the same time the motivation to participate, learn and think.

What is the benefit gained from this conditional interaction with dolphins? Why is it so helpful to have a free and spontaneous swim with them? Why do the children change so much? What is the advantage of giving a dolphin the possibility to choose to come close to a handicapped children rather being conditioned to do so? How does the dolphin behave while meeting a handicapped child?

My lecture will explain the concept of the therapy with dolphins at Dolphin Reef, will answer above questions and will describe my in the project.

Back to 1996 Symposium Main Page
Up to AquaThought Home Page