Terrifying moment dolphin dies in front of children at bankrupt marine park
Dolphins are still trapped in filthy tanks at a bankrupt marine park where one died in front of children during a show, sparking urgent calls for rescue amid claims of neglect
Dolphins are still being kept in filthy, algae-filled tanks at a marine park, even after children were left terrified when they witnessed one tragically die during a show.
Four of the dolphins at Gulf World in Panama City Beach, Florida, have sadly died in mysterious circumstances within six months, including one in March that landed on its head in front of children.
Jett, a 14-year-old dolphin, fatally injured himself during a performance in front of families. The young bottlenose dove head-first into the shallows during the lunchtime show, suffering a catastrophic brain injury.
Crying park staff had to urgently usher families from the arena as medics tried to save him. Experts believe Jett may have misjudged his jump due to the murky water, a condition campaigners say has plagued the park for months, putting the animals at serious risk.
Three more dolphins died within a week of each other last October. Gus, 14, was euthanised for a life-threatening condition, 15-year-old Turk contracted a bacterial lung disease, and Nate, 20, died from systemic infection, according to the Marine Mammal Inventory Report.
In the wild, bottlenose dolphins can live up to 40 years. Yet despite these losses and the park's worsening conditions, other dolphins remain trapped.
Gulf World continues to offer swim-with experiences for around £97, where customers are allowed to hug and pose with the captive mammals, which have been filmed swimming with their eyes 'jammed shut' in the murky water.
The bottlenose dolphins are still performing tricks for crowds while enduring daily human encounters, even as their tanks have reportedly become unsafe. In January, U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors said they found thick green algae growing in the crumbling pools, with six inches of it scraped from just one step.
Filtration systems in the main tanks are said to have failed and one reportedly stopped working entirely in November, while the other only operates at half capacity. That's left the animals swimming in stagnant, polluted water for over six months.
To combat the algae, staff 'shocked' the tanks with granular chlorine, a treatment known to cause blindness in dolphins after repeated exposure. Campaign footage shows water in the interaction tank looking cleaner, but experts worry this could be the result of heavy chlorine use.
Tidebreakers campaigners said: "Despite Gulf World's owners filing for bankruptcy, and two consecutive raids by local, state and federal authorities, the park remains open. The water is still green and the tanks are filled with algae. Dolphins are still being kept in tiny holding tanks. Swimming with their eyes jammed shut in the murky water."
The park, once considered a family attraction, has become the focus of growing concern from both the public and authorities. In the latest blow, the city of Panama City Beach issued an abatement letter following a March inspection that found unsafe electrical systems, deteriorating tanks, and structural issues that pose an "immediate threat to safety".
The letter told Gulf World to vacate the unsafe areas immediately and gave it 30 days to obtain permits and start the repair work. If those conditions weren't met, the letter added, the city will be authorised to "take any action necessary" to resolve the issues on the property.
The situation has been complicated by Gulf World's parent company, Mexico-based The Dolphin Company, declaring bankruptcy. According to reports, the former CEO allegedly used armed guards to wrestle back control of the company's HQ in Cancun, and the chaotic situation has made it difficult for local authorities to get involved.
Tidebreakers added: "The dolphins haven't had working filtration since November 2024. They are clearly suffering. Despite reports of some of the turtles being moved during the last raid, this endangered green sea turtle remains trapped in the filthy green water, in a crumbling rusty tank swimming in the same repetitive pattern we reported on months ago. When will the rest of the animals get rescued? Enough is enough."
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Daily Mirror
22-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Terrifying moment dolphin dies in front of children at bankrupt marine park
Dolphins are still trapped in filthy tanks at a bankrupt marine park where one died in front of children during a show, sparking urgent calls for rescue amid claims of neglect Dolphins are still being kept in filthy, algae-filled tanks at a marine park, even after children were left terrified when they witnessed one tragically die during a show. Four of the dolphins at Gulf World in Panama City Beach, Florida, have sadly died in mysterious circumstances within six months, including one in March that landed on its head in front of children. Jett, a 14-year-old dolphin, fatally injured himself during a performance in front of families. The young bottlenose dove head-first into the shallows during the lunchtime show, suffering a catastrophic brain injury. Crying park staff had to urgently usher families from the arena as medics tried to save him. Experts believe Jett may have misjudged his jump due to the murky water, a condition campaigners say has plagued the park for months, putting the animals at serious risk. Three more dolphins died within a week of each other last October. Gus, 14, was euthanised for a life-threatening condition, 15-year-old Turk contracted a bacterial lung disease, and Nate, 20, died from systemic infection, according to the Marine Mammal Inventory Report. In the wild, bottlenose dolphins can live up to 40 years. Yet despite these losses and the park's worsening conditions, other dolphins remain trapped. Gulf World continues to offer swim-with experiences for around £97, where customers are allowed to hug and pose with the captive mammals, which have been filmed swimming with their eyes 'jammed shut' in the murky water. The bottlenose dolphins are still performing tricks for crowds while enduring daily human encounters, even as their tanks have reportedly become unsafe. In January, U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors said they found thick green algae growing in the crumbling pools, with six inches of it scraped from just one step. Filtration systems in the main tanks are said to have failed and one reportedly stopped working entirely in November, while the other only operates at half capacity. That's left the animals swimming in stagnant, polluted water for over six months. To combat the algae, staff 'shocked' the tanks with granular chlorine, a treatment known to cause blindness in dolphins after repeated exposure. Campaign footage shows water in the interaction tank looking cleaner, but experts worry this could be the result of heavy chlorine use. Tidebreakers campaigners said: "Despite Gulf World's owners filing for bankruptcy, and two consecutive raids by local, state and federal authorities, the park remains open. The water is still green and the tanks are filled with algae. Dolphins are still being kept in tiny holding tanks. Swimming with their eyes jammed shut in the murky water." The park, once considered a family attraction, has become the focus of growing concern from both the public and authorities. In the latest blow, the city of Panama City Beach issued an abatement letter following a March inspection that found unsafe electrical systems, deteriorating tanks, and structural issues that pose an "immediate threat to safety". The letter told Gulf World to vacate the unsafe areas immediately and gave it 30 days to obtain permits and start the repair work. If those conditions weren't met, the letter added, the city will be authorised to "take any action necessary" to resolve the issues on the property. The situation has been complicated by Gulf World's parent company, Mexico-based The Dolphin Company, declaring bankruptcy. According to reports, the former CEO allegedly used armed guards to wrestle back control of the company's HQ in Cancun, and the chaotic situation has made it difficult for local authorities to get involved. Tidebreakers added: "The dolphins haven't had working filtration since November 2024. They are clearly suffering. Despite reports of some of the turtles being moved during the last raid, this endangered green sea turtle remains trapped in the filthy green water, in a crumbling rusty tank swimming in the same repetitive pattern we reported on months ago. When will the rest of the animals get rescued? Enough is enough."
The Guardian
08-04-2025
- The Guardian
Australian supermarket frozen crumbed fish taste test: from catch of the day to a ‘terrible chicken nugget'
Teach a person to fish, they say, and they'll eat for ever. It's a nice idiom, but it hasn't always been true for me and my fishing buddies. With the shiniest gear and best intentions, we've spent enough hours driving home fishless to know that sometimes you do just need to buy one and stick it in the oven. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning We're thankful the freezers of our local supermarkets are packed with fish, already caught, filleted and crumbed – no expensive lures or slimy bait needed. So it's about time we gave our opinion on which ones are the best. With my fishing buddies Simon and Gus, I sat down to find our favourite frozen fish in a blind taste test. We ranked only 'classic crumbed' varieties available at major supermarkets, oven-baked them as instructed by the packaging, and served them up straight: no salt, no ketchup, no tartare. We assessed each of them on the taste and texture of both fish and crumb, as well as the ratio of each. In the process we found the catch of the day and figured out a few we wish we could throw back. Sealord New Zealand Southern Blue Whiting Classic Crumb Fillets: 320g, $9 for four fillets ($2.81 for 100g), available from Coles and Woolworths Score: 8.5/10 Like a book and its cover, you probably shouldn't judge a fish by its crumb, but these hefty slabs made great first impressions. The breadcrumbs went golden in the oven, with no signs of sogginess. They fared even better after a bite: delicate flakes of fish that actually taste and fall apart like fish should, a flavourful crunch from the crumb, and a generous fish-to-crust ratio. Mount it on a trophy and put it in the living room. Blueline Seafood Classic Crumb Fish Fillets: 1kg, $9 ($0.90 for 100g), available from Woolworths Score: 8/10 'Ah, the delicate dance of the crumbed fish,' one of our tasters said as he took a bite of this full-sized crumbed fillet, listed as either pollock or whiting on the ingredient breakdown (we're pretty sure we scored the latter). 'You want it moist, but not so moist that the crumb loses its integrity.' It's a dance performed perfectly by this flaky, juicy slab of fish, its outer shell was a paler blonde than other players, but no less crunchy. There wasn't much of a fish taste to the fish itself, but the texture and consistency was excellent. We're all excited to revisit them for a future dinner paired with vinegary chips and a hearty squirt of tartare sauce. Sealord New Zealand Dory Classic Crumb Portions: 320g, $9 for four fillets ($2.81 for 100g), available from Woolworths and Coles Score: 8/10 Another great catch from the folks at Sealord, with the same solid, crunchy crumb as the overall winner, wrapped around a generous piece of dory. Since it's a milder-tasting, but denser protein, the difference between the two comes down to how fishy you like your fish. While it seemed slightly saltier than its whiting buddy, we'd still be happy to find it dangling from the end of our lines. Birds Eye Oven Bake Original Crumb 100% Wild Caught Fish Fillets: 425g, $12 for six fillets ($2.82 for 100g), available from Woolworths and Coles Score: 7.5/10 These New Zealand hoki fillets are the definition of fine – not a revelation, but not a disappointment either. The golden crumb crunches just enough, the fish inside is white and mild, if a little vague on any actual 'fish' flavour, and they bake to a nice golden hue. While it didn't transport us to a breezy seaside bach, in a sandwich with tartare sauce, they'd get the job done. Are they gourmet? No. Are they bad? Also no. They exist, they're crispy, and sometimes that's enough. I&J Original Crumb Australian Hoki: 425g, $7 for six fillets ($1.65 for 100g), available from Woolworths and Coles Score: 7/10 Hoki isn't renowned for its big flavour, so when we unblinded after the test, we were surprised to find these slender triangles were among the tastiest of the day. 'These are the first I wish we had a bit of salt to sprinkle over,' one tester said. The seasoning lacked a little in both the crumb and the hoki. But the crispness of the crust, texture of the fish and lack of soggy layers between the two had us angling for another bite. Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips after newsletter promotion Just Caught Classic Crumbed Whiting Strips: 800g, $14 ($1.75 for 100g), available from Woolworths Score: 6.5/10 What do you get if you cross a fish with a pepper grinder? These goujon-style whiting strips, apparently. There's a lot to like about these sticks, the crumb browns and crisps-up beautifully while sticking obediently to the moist, flaky fish inside. But instead of the gentle fish flavour we found in most contenders, the whiting tasted like it bathed in a bowl of white pepper before being crumbed. It's not that we didn't enjoy it – one taster excitedly claimed the rest of the bag for fish tacos – but we think the taste is pronounced enough to warrant a 'pepper flavoured' mention on the pack. Birds Eye Air Baked Deep Sea Dory Lightly Crumbed: 380g, $12.60 for six fillets ($3.32 for 100g), available from Woolworths and Coles Score: 6/10 Advertised as containing 50% less oil and fat than their fried counterparts, these 'lightly crumbed' baked fillets – the most expensive of the lineup – looked darker and less luminously appealing straight out of the pack. One taster called them 'alien fish'. Sadly, their allocated time in the oven didn't make them any more catwalk-ready. The crust is slightly dry and less crisp than others, with the kind of mealy texture you'd expect from a product that's been baked instead of fried. But it's the strong flavour of the crumb that caught us by surprise, a peppery, savoury punch that pretty much overpowered the taste of the decent – if entirely unremarkable – fish inside. Coles Original Crumbed Wild Caught White Fish: 425g, $4.90 for six fillets ($1.15 for 100g), available from Coles Score 5.5/10 Among the supermarket brand contenders, Coles Crumbed Fish Fillets swim slightly ahead of the school. The fish offered a surprisingly good texture – not too mushy, not too dry – and the crumb had a nice crunch with a decent fish-to-coating ratio (a rare achievement in supermarket seafood). The golden-brown crumb is a touch darker than most, hinting at depth of flavour that, sadly, never quite arrived. 'This would probably be tasty enough with lemon and tartare,' one of our testers said. Next time, he asked, could he bring his own condiments? Sealord New Zealand Hoki Classic Crumb Flaky Fillets: 480g, $10.50 for six fillets ($2.18 for 100g), available from Woolworths and Coles Score: 5.5/10 Part of fishing is learning to accept that some days are just not your days, and it seems to be as true for Sealord as it is for us amateurs. After a great showing from their dory and whiting, this was a fall from grace. The crumb was dotted with soggy sinkholes as soon as they came out of the oven, while some of the coating fell away from the fish entirely. Inside, the fish was dry – all the moisture seemed to have migrated to the crust – mashed, and didn't taste of anything. As one taster said: 'This is like a piece of fish designed by AI.' KB's Classic Crumb Whiting Fillets: 450g, $7.50 for six fillets ($1.67 for 100g), available from Coles Score: 4/10 If you buy your frozen fish only for the crumb and get annoyed when that pesky fish gets in the way, this is the pick for you. The shell of breadcrumbs is so impressively, majestically thick that biting into it feels like eating a fish sandwich. And while there's not a lot of fish evident, it still brought an unexpected hint of dim sim; a flavour profile that no piece of fish comes by naturally. It's crispy and it's edible, but if you're looking for whiting that actually tastes like whiting, best to cast your line elsewhere. Woolworths Crumbed Fish Fillet: 425g, $4.90 for six fillets ($1.15 for 100g), available from Woolworths Score: 4/10 'If you blindfolded me,' one taster said after a bite of this home-brand entry, 'I would guess this was a terrible chicken nugget. There's nothing about this that says 'fish'.' It's true: the gummy texture and strange, faintly chemical aftertaste in the thin layer of fish could easily be mistaken for low-quality chicken – or one of the sponges on aisle nine. While the outer shell of the crumb had a good crunch, the millimetres of soggy breadcrumbs beneath made it all a bit unpleasant to eat. Ocean Royale Golden Crisp Original Fish Fillets: 425g, $4.49 for six fillets ($1.06 for 100g), available from Aldi Score: 3/10 Aldi has a solid history of performing well in these taste tests, so expectations for their Alaska pollock fillets were steep. As was the let-down. The thin, flavourless layer of fish hidden inside the thick, flavourless crumb had a pasty consistency, 'as though it's been reconstituted from scraps of fish like a cheap chicken nugget,' one tester said. All three of us agreed that these were our least favourite fillets. Thankfully we were left with plenty more fish in the sea. And freezer.
The Guardian
03-12-2024
- The Guardian
Stockport sanctuary owner fears for lives of dogs after being served eviction notice
The owner of a sanctuary for traumatised dogs has said up to 17 animals will have to be put to sleep unless she can find a new home for them within three weeks. Chadkirk dog sanctuary in Stockport was served with an eviction notice by the landlord, which means that the premises will need to be vacated by the end of the year. Ali Clark, who runs the sanctuary, said: 'I just can't cry anymore. I'm just desperate to try and find somewhere to save these dogs.' 'We're hoping that someone, somewhere has got kennels that they're not using, or some buildings, or a redundant farm, something that we can make into our sanctuary. 'We're looking for redundant buildings, barns, stables, anything that can be made into kennels, safe kennels for these dogs.' The 30 or so dogs who are long-term residents at the sanctuary include Gus, who previously lived in a garage for six years, and Groober, a Romanian mioritic shepherd cross who will not let anyone come near him except for Clark. Of the dogs, many of which have been abused or neglected in the past, 17 would not be suitable to be rehomed so finding new premises is the only way they can be saved, Clark, 59, said. Some of the dogs are traumatised, while others have severe anxiety. 'These dogs can't go to anyone else, I know their quirks,' she added. The sanctuary cannot afford to buy premises, she said, so she is looking for somewhere to rent in Wales or in the neighbouring counties in England. She lives in Powys, but stays at the sanctuary in Stockport in order to look after the dogs. She set up there because it was the only place she could find during a previous search for a premises. Clark said she has spent about 10 years looking after dogs with severe behavioural problems, many of them classed as 'unrehomeable'. 'I see the desperate need for sanctuary spaces, and people to take in dogs that have more issues than the average dog,' she said. 'Especially when people's circumstances change, and they can no longer keep their dog, they look at sanctuaries.' A lack of spaces for dogs in sanctuaries is an issue that has 'definitely, definitely got worse since Covid', particularly as some kennels closed down during the pandemic, she added. Niz Khan, who runs the London-based charity Animal Adoption International, said that Clark has taken in dogs that she has been unable to rehome. 'She has a heart of gold,' Khan said. 'The dogs have such a good life with her. They really thrive under her care. She gets up at 4am and walks them and she doesn't stop until around 9pm. 'She has one of my dogs, a corgi cross called Michael, who is so lovely, but he's been traumatised, I believe from a noose-type catchpole in Romania, and he bit me. But with Ali he hasn't bitten in four years and he's a happy dog there.' A GoFundMe has been set up to fund new premises and kennel equipment.
