Terra Natura Benidorm develops a new activity with sea lions that consists of the interaction assisted for therapeutic purposes for people who have some type of disability or special needs. The sessions are carried out in a personalized way in the aquarium area of ​​Aqua Natura, where the activity takes places in an exclusive way with the child and his / her relatives sharing the therapeutic experience, becoming an alternative to conventional treatments.

The session is carried out according to the personal needs of each person. The person in charge of the experience will control the approach between sea lions and users with functional diversity to get participants closer to these animals, stimulating the sensory level and improving their motor capacity.

These therapies have favorable results, not only physically but also psychically and socially for children with functional diversity. During the interaction, emotions such as joy with the aquatic environment make the children relax and increase their self-confidence, while they enjoy the approach with the sea lions.

Blogger Vanesa Pérez, from Www.ydeverdadtienestres.com, awarded, is the mother of Rodrigo, a severe autistic child with epilepsy who has been able to enjoy with the rest of his siblings one of these guided interactions.

Rodrigo started the interaction with the water contact before the visual contact with the animal. Roland, carer of the animal, presented him to the sea lion Tino. He has taught the animal’s body parts, their habits and characteristics in a close and simple way. The objective was to connect and interact in a leisurely way and at the pace that the child was marking.

Through the contact of Rodrigo feet and Tino a connection has been achieved. Rodrigo started to trust in the situation and in the animal, even wanting to hug him. Vanesa Perez has highlighted the benefits that can provide this type of animal therapy and has insisted on the need to publicize these activities so that people who need it know where they can access them.