Pedro Lavia, founder of the Zoomarine theme park in Guia, has been presented with the ‘Sonny Allen Lifetime Achievement Award’ by the International Marine Animal Trainers’ Association (IMATA).
Lavia received the award during the association’s annual congress in Orlando, USA, being the first non-American to be distinguished.
Lavia said he was “delighted” and promised to “continue fighting for the innovation of sea mammal-related entertainment, education, conservation and science”.
Lavia, born an Argentine but a self-declared Portuguese and Algarvean, added that sea mammals are “the ambassadors of the sea world” and his “special partners in life”.
The ‘Sonny Allen Lifetime Achievement Award’ aims to pay homage to professionals who contribute towards “the promotion of the wellbeing of sea mammals”.
