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Thad Lacinak

Thad Lacinak

Instrumental in Developing SeaWorld's Industry-Leading Techniques

As vice president and corporate curator of animal training for Busch Entertainment Corporation,Thad directs animal training and enrichment efforts at five BEC parks,including SeaWorld Orlando SeaWorld San Antonio,SeaWorld San Diego,Busch Gardens Tampa and Busch Gardens Williamsburg.  

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As vice president and corporate curator of animal training for Busch Entertainment Corporation, Thad directs animal training and enrichment efforts at five BEC parks, including SeaWorld Orlando, SeaWorld San Antonio, SeaWorld San Diego, Busch Gardens Tampa, and Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

Lacinak was instrumental in developing SeaWorld’s industry-leading techniques, husbandry procedures, and spectacular killer whale show behaviors. He is frequently called upon by zoological facilities worldwide to consult on particularly challenging behavior modification questions.

With over 28 years of marine mammal training experience, Thad has trained over 100 species of animals. In addition to his experience with marine mammals, he has conditioned terrestrial and avian species for husbandry, performance, and public display and education.

Thad oversees and coordinates the efforts of hundreds of animal trainers and keepers at BEC parks across the country. He is responsible for all operational aspects of SeaWorld’s Animal Training Department, including animal husbandry and show quality. In recent years, he has taken a progressively larger role in behavior modification and enrichment at the Busch Gardens parks.

Lacinak is a member of the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, the International Marine Animal Trainers Association, the International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine, the Society for Marine Mammalogy, and the Association for Behavior Analysis.

Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Lacinak now lives in Windermere, Florida with his wife, Barbara. They have two children: Philip, 25 and Michele, 16.

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