Latest news with #MiamiSeaquarium
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Gulf World Marine Park faces backlash amid dolphin deaths
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – On March 1st, staff members rushed guests attending a Gulf World dolphin show out of the arena after a dolphin reportedly hit a shallow end of the pool during a jump and died. 'The water clarity was so bad, you (couldn't) really tell a lot. I didn't know for sure something was wrong until I saw the trainers freaking out…they actually rushed us out, they were kind of rude about it… just get-everybody-out-now type thing. I mean, you couldn't tell me something didn't happen at that point, you know,' Gulf World visitor Britten Moore said. A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration marine mammal data sheet confirmed that the dolphin in the show was 14-year-old Jeff. It also confirmed his cause of death was acute head trauma. Panama City officials and Beach Drive residents analyze proposed multi-use pathway design plans Jeff is just the latest. Within the last 6 months, 3-other dolphins died at Gulf World within a week of each other. According to NOAA documents, 14-year-old Gus was euthanized on October 4th for an unspecified life-threatening condition. On October 7th, 15-year-old Turk died from a bacterial lung disease. Then 4 days later, 20-year-old Nate died. No cause of death was given. Gulf World opened on Memorial Day 1970; at the time, it was locally owned. However, in 2015 the park was bought by the Dolphin Discovery Group, also known as The Dolphin Company. Moore is a Panama City Beach resident who's been going to Gulf World his whole life. He says the park has changed in recent years. 'They had a lot more animals. I remember the facilities being cleaner, but, you know, you enjoyed going to it…it didn't feel cheap, felt like it was a family-run business that actually cared about the business. You know, you don't get that feeling there,' Moore said. A January USDA inspection report detailed major issues. They found several penguins being housed in an indoor storage space with 'carpet, old sound equipment with cords hanging down the cabinets, paint for crafts in the area, dust, and debris throughout the room.' There was no working water filter in the east dolphin pool. The filter in the west pool was working at only 50 percent. The report also notes an abundance of algae in the pools, which they say can cause visibility issues for the animals. Jackson County residents react to Florida Public Utilities Rate increase Dolphin Discovery's website claims it's the number one dolphin company in the world, with 31 locations. There 4 are in Florida; Gulf World in Panama City Beach, Marineland in St Augustine, Dolphin Connection in Duck Key, and Miami Seaquarium. Earlier this month, Miami-Dade County officials served an eviction notice to the company from the Miami Seaquarium, following the death of an orca named Lolita. State officials are taking notice. Senator Jay Trumbull says he's contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. FWC does not have jurisdiction but worked closely with the USDA and NOAA on the Miami Seaquarium case. 'They've got some history there with not only this particular issue but also these owners…it's not right to allow this type of behavior to continue to occur. And you're putting these animals at risk. You're putting the trainers at risk. You're potentially putting the visitors that come in and or the patrons at risk as well. And I think that's the main reason why folks are frustrated with it,' Trumbull said. In fact, local residents have organized a protest for later this month. 'What really motivated this protest is Jett's death. When Jett died during a show, by hitting the cement and dying of head trauma, I realized that something was really going sideways there…the end goal is to have Gulf World shut down and to have the animals moved to a larger facility that has working filters, that has space,' Protest organizer, Jamie Marghany said. Gulf World officials declined to comment, referring us to corporate. The Dolphin Company corporate offices have not responded. The protest is scheduled for March 29th, at 10 a.m. in front of Gulf World. Organizers say they also plan to address the matter at the April 10th Panama City Beach City Council meeting. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Meet ‘Ocean Sun', the nearly 100-year-old Southern Resident Orca crowned oldest in the world
Experts say one of our Southern Resident Orcas will soon turn 100 years old! 'Ocean Sun', also known as L25, is considered the oldest orca in the world. However, she hasn't had an easy life. Howard Garrett with the Orca Network details a life full of tragedy and hardship. In fact, Garrett says Ocean Sun should've died years ago, but she persevered. Ocean Sun was tentatively born in 1928, making her 97 years old. Researchers say this is an estimated age as records before 1950 aren't great, but they are confident in their estimation. She has distinctive white markings, including a 'hook shape' white mark near her dorsal fin. 'When she comes up next you know it, she's a big whale,' Garrett said. She is part of the Southern Resident L Pod. She has survived polluted water, famine, and even capture. In August 1970, Ocean Sun's pod was herded into Penn Cove off Whidbey Island. 'That's where the captures took place,' Garrett said. 'Where the net pens were set up, where they pushed mothers away to net babies, and haul them away.' Around 100 orcas were ripped from the Puget Sound during those captures. 'It's believed that Tokitae, later renamed Lolita by her captors, was her daughter. She was hauled away,' Garrett said. Lolita was sold to the Miami Seaquarium, never seeing Ocean Sun again. She spent the rest of her life in that tank, dying in 2023. Garrett tells us Ocean Sun's entire known bloodline was killed or sold to the highest bidder over time. 'It was a horrendous day, kind of the scene of a massacre from their point of view,' Garrett said. The echoes of distress still linger off Penn Cove's docks today. Whidbey Island resident Susan Lin said she often comes to the pier near the cove, saying she can't help but think about what happened. 'It's shocking to think there are individuals who view this as theirs for the taking,' Lin said. 'To do that type of mass roundup is horrifying.' That isn't the only threat she's faced in her lifetime. 'Even more than the captures, has been the lack of Chinook Salmon,' Garrett said. Researchers say there's been a major food shortage for more than 30 years, but Ocean Sun always adapts. 'She's a survivor, I don't know how she does it,' mused Garrett. In November, the L pod returned to the 1970 capture sites for the first time. Garrett said this shows orcas forgive, but don't forget. 'She shared those stories, she described somehow what happened because they behaved very strangely right over the capture sites,' Garrett said. Garrett says the orcas paced and did tricks for hours, which could be seen as a cleansing of some sort. Ocean Sun may not be related to the L Pod by blood, but she is a leader. Garrett said those orcas treat her like the mother she should've had a chance to be. He tells us Ocean Sun appears to be in great health, against all odds. The Orca Network is looking forward to celebrating her 100 years spent in the Puget Sound in 2028.
