Jenifer A. Zeligs

With a wealth of experience in many species, both domestic and exotic, Jenifer Zeligs, Ph.D. is a world-renown behavioral biologist with over 40 years of experience, award winning presentations on animal behavior modification, and numerous publications to her credit. In 2014 she published what has been called the new training “bible” Animal Training 101: The complete and practical guide to the art and science of behavior modification. Dr. Zeligs is the founder of Animal Training and Research International which oversees an animal care center affiliated with the California State University system. She has been teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in animal training and working with marine mammals for over 20 years. Jenifer is also a practicing Buddhist with decades of meditation experience. Her revolutionary approach is found by integrating mindfulness with cognitive, behaviorist, ethological sciences.

Dr. Zeligs experience includes collaborating with and consulting for countless private and public facilities and organizations, as well as training animals for companionship, competition, liberty work, veterinary procedures, research, feature films and documentaries, detection, and public display. Dr. Zeligs has been featured in numerous documentaries and television shows including National Geographic Explorer, the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and Dateline, NBC. Jenifer is particularly known for her groundbreaking work training sea lions to wear video cameras to study and film wild whales.

The center of her work is to foster the most compassionate care of animals suited to the needs of the individual trainer, animal, and training objective. Dr. Zeligs teaches a nuanced understanding of behavior modification through a pros/cons model to promote common ground and conversation between trainers of all backgrounds. Her students now work with and mange a wide range of animal programs throughout the world.

www.animaltraining.us