Victor Aderholt

Victor Aderholt joined Ocean Embassy in March 2008 as director of field operations and logistical planning. In this role, he oversees all aspects of the Company’s animal assets including husbandry management, facility planning and operation, site inspections and transport logistics. Victor’s considerable experience ranges from remote location management and start up operations to ongoing management of large scale zoological facilities. Above and beyond his knowledge of marine mammal husbandry and veterinary medicine, Victor is a master of mechanical and logistical aspects involved in complex marine life applications from facility construction to operational efficiency.

Victor Aderholt began his career in the marine mammal industry as a volunteer with the World Dolphin Foundation during the summer of 1974. He continued on to his first paid position with Ocean World, Inc where he experienced his first introduction to many aspects of behavioral modification in marine mammals, along with general marine park operations. From this point, Aderholt’s career expanded overseas, where he undertook the management of dolphin and sea lion shows based in Germany, Austria and Israel. He then continued on to facilities in Spain and finally Italy, where he worked as a contract marine mammal consultant for IDEA Inc, one of the principle groups involved in the start up of the Genova Aquarium. He then returned to the United States to take up employment with Sea World of Orlando, where he directly participated in the openings of three major exhibit areas: Dolphin Cove, Manatees the Last Generation, and Pacific Point Preserve. In addition to this, he played key roles in Veterinary support, stranded animal recoveries, marine mammal capture / transports and direct animal husbandry. In 1997 Aderholt then assumed the start up role of Director of Marine Mammal Husbandry with the Alaska SeaLife Center, which involved all animal permitting / acquisitions, facility preparation, enclosure design, animal transports and staff hiring. During his tenure with the ASLC, Aderholt also initiated the stranded animal recovery program, and actively participated in field Steller sea lion, Fur seal and Orca research work, including two summers spent in the Russian Far East. Upon leaving the ASLC, Aderholt took up employment with Kerzner International in both the Paradise Island facility, and then later with the Dubai facility. In both cases he was again actively involved in the startup processes of both locations, contributing expertise in virtually all aspects of marine mammal related work.