3 days ago
4 Gulf World dolphins adjust to Clearwater Marine Aquarium, 7 still await relocation
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WMBB) – On Wednesday, June 4, News 13 broke the story about the four Gulf World Marine Park dolphins being relocated to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
Crews arrived at Gulf World around 11 p.m. Tuesday, loaded up the animals and headed south. They arrived in Clearwater around 11 a.m. E.T. Wednesday morning.
All the rough-toothed female dolphins appeared to immediately take to their new surroundings.
The staff in Clearwater set benchmarks for the dolphins to gauge how they are adjusting.
On Friday, June 6, they told local officials all four of the animals blew away those benchmarks and are 'thriving' in their new home.
4 Gulf World dolphins moved to Clearwater Marine Aquarium
As for the seven remaining bottle-nosed dolphins still at Gulf World, local officials told News 13 they are still waiting on the results of some tissue and fluid tests done within the last week. The results will determine if the dolphins are healthy and able to be placed with other dolphins. Once they're medically clear, they'll be transferred to another facility that has yet to be confirmed.
Some in the decision-making process don't want them to go to another 'Dolphin Company-owned' facility.
They point to the fact that the company is currently in bankruptcy proceedings and the poor conditions at Gulf World. Five dolphins have died at Gulf World since October 2024.
The public outcry is responsible for the relocation of all of the marine animals.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
