Latest news with #UrgentSeas
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Luxury hotel attraction shut down after 'living nightmare' in pool exposed
Disturbing video highlights the 'nightmare' conditions where a pair of dolphins have been housed for the amusement of cashed-up tourists. In the wild, the animals could travel up to 100km in a day, but instead they were kept in two concrete tanks no bigger than swimming pools. Heartbreakingly, the tanks at the Mexican hotel where they were confined were just metres from the Caribbean Sea near Cancún, a holiday destination popular with foreign travellers. Conditions at Dolphinaris Barceló at Barceló Maya Grand Resort were so concerning that this week it was ordered shut, and its gates were sealed by the government's environment protection agency PROFEPA. Outspoken activist Phil Demers has repeatedly shared aerial footage of the dolphins on his Urgent Seas social media channels and called for their release. Speaking with Yahoo News on Friday, he said the dolphins had been living in shadeless pens that were 'very shallow'. 'It was a living nightmare for all of the dolphins there. The size was disproportionately small for what they needed. It was absurd, frankly,' he said. 'One of the great tragedies is the contrast of the size of their pool against the vast ocean, which is just metres away. Conditions were awful.' An investigation into the facility was launched after a shocking moment at the park that was broadcast across social media in February, 2025 highlighting to the world how small the tanks were. Filmed five years ago and then stashed away, it showed a dolphin attempting to perform a trick, misjudging the edge of the pool, and then crashing onto the edge. That animal survived, and was moved to another facility, but he is now blind in one eye and has just 60 per cent vision in the other due to keratitis — a condition that causes inflammation of the cornea. PROFEPA said the facility in southwest Mexico's Quintana Roo had been closed due to 'various operational irregularities". They included a failure to report "dangerous incidents", acrobatic performances that endanger animals, unregulated water temperature, forcing animals to complete tricks when unwell, and problems with water temperature. BREAKING: The dolphin tank at Hotel Barcelo in Riviera Maya, Mexico has been permanently closed. Thank you to all the tireless advocates who fought so hard for this resolve. Now we must ensure the dolphins are responsibly removed and relocated. More to come. — @UrgentSeas (@urgentseas) May 13, 2025 Demers said the outcome highlights both the power of social media and the work of activists who protested there every day. 'This has gone on for far too long, but credit to the activists who never gave up. Sometimes there were only one or two protesters out front, but they never gave up,' he said. Now that the facility has been closed, the focus is turning to what happens to the dolphins. The most likely outcome is that they will be moved to another facility, sparking fresh concerns that their lives will continue down a sad path. 🥫 Airline passenger request raises questions about popular menu items 😳 Warning as massive Aussie predator spotted near popular children's playground 🤠 Deadly find on roadside in beachside suburb sparks wild theory According to Demers, the closure of Dolphinaris Barceló tells a much bigger story about the failure of dolphin parks. Last year, US-based Miami Seaquarium was ordered to close following an investigation by authorities, while Marineland Antibes permanently shut its doors due to declining attendance and improved animal welfare regulations in France. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Luxury hotel closed down after 'living nightmare' in pool exposed
Disturbing video highlights the 'nightmare' conditions where a pair of dolphins have been housed for the amusement of cashed-up tourists. In the wild, the animals could travel up to 100km in a day, but instead they were kept in two concrete tanks no bigger than swimming pools. Heartbreakingly, the tanks at the Mexican hotel where they were confined were just metres from the Caribbean Sea near Cancún, a holiday destination popular with foreign travellers. Conditions at Dolphinaris Barceló at Barceló Maya Grand Resort were so concerning that this week it was ordered shut, and its gates were sealed by the government's environment protection agency PROFEPA. Outspoken activist Phil Demers has repeatedly shared aerial footage of the dolphins on his Urgent Seas social media channels and called for their release. Speaking with Yahoo News on Friday, he said the dolphins had been living in shadeless pens that were 'very shallow'. 'It was a living nightmare for all of the dolphins there. The size was disproportionately small for what they needed. It was absurd, frankly,' he said. 'One of the great tragedies is the contrast of the size of their pool against the vast ocean, which is just metres away. Conditions were awful.' An investigation into the facility was launched after a shocking moment at the park that was broadcast across social media in February, 2025 highlighting to the world how small the tanks were. Filmed five years ago and then stashed away, it showed a dolphin attempting to perform a trick, misjudging the edge of the pool, and then crashing onto the edge. That animal survived, and was moved to another facility, but he is now blind in one eye and has just 60 per cent vision in the other due to keratitis — a condition that causes inflammation of the cornea. PROFEPA said the facility in southwest Mexico's Quintana Roo had been closed due to 'various operational irregularities". They included a failure to report "dangerous incidents", acrobatic performances that endanger animals, unregulated water temperature, forcing animals to complete tricks when unwell, and problems with water temperature. BREAKING: The dolphin tank at Hotel Barcelo in Riviera Maya, Mexico has been permanently closed. Thank you to all the tireless advocates who fought so hard for this resolve. Now we must ensure the dolphins are responsibly removed and relocated. More to come. — @UrgentSeas (@urgentseas) May 13, 2025 Demers said the outcome highlights both the power of social media and the work of activists who protested there every day. 'This has gone on for far too long, but credit to the activists who never gave up. Sometimes there were only one or two protesters out front, but they never gave up,' he said. Now that the facility has been closed, the focus is turning to what happens to the dolphins. The most likely outcome is that they will be moved to another facility, sparking fresh concerns that their lives will continue down a sad path. 🥫 Airline passenger request raises questions about popular menu items 😳 Warning as massive Aussie predator spotted near popular children's playground 🤠 Deadly find on roadside in beachside suburb sparks wild theory According to Demers, the closure of Dolphinaris Barceló tells a much bigger story about the failure of dolphin parks. Last year, US-based Miami Seaquarium was ordered to close following an investigation by authorities, while Marineland Antibes permanently shut its doors due to declining attendance and improved animal welfare regulations in France. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
The world's saddest dolphins: Tragic footage shows pair left behind in dirty pool after Mexican aquarium shuts down
An aquarium has been forced to close in Mexico after the appalling treatment of dolphins was exposed. Phil Demers, director of UrgentSeas, says the mammals were being imprisoned in small, dirty pools at the Dolphinarium at Hotel Barceló. Videos captured by the non-profit organisation, which works to expose cruel captive dolphin and whale facilities, two dolphins swimming aimlessly round the subpar facilities. UrgentSeas say they were first contacted about the horrific conditions at Dolphinaris Barcel?, in Quintana Roo, months ago, but that authorities failed to take action. The park was only shut down after the organisation's videos of the dolphins sparked public outrage, according to Demers. 'We were first alerted about the conditions months ago as we learned that authorities were allowing for repeated violations to continue at the park,' the 47-year-old said. 'Once we saw the conditions for ourselves, we knew we had to make some noise to expose the issues. The park was only shut down after the organisation's videos of the dolphins sparked public outrage, according to Demers 'The conditions were unacceptable - so much so that we felt compelled to act. 'We started publishing videos, which went immediately viral, causing a major public outrage. 'The reaction was powerful. 'Their social media accounts were inundated with negative reviews and comments, and authorities were called to take actual action. 'Authorities were finally forced to shut down the awful tank, which had been our long goal. 'We are ecstatic that authorities have taken this action.' The concrete pool where the animals live is located mere feet from the Caribbean Sea and is just over six feet deep, leaving the dolphins exposed to constant sunlight — which experts say can burn their skin. UrgentSeas had been calling for a boycott and for the release of the dolphins, which it says are being held in 'Latin America's smallest dolphin tank'. In February, a video shared by UrgentSeas on social media shows three captive dolphins leaping from the water as lifejacket-clad tourists look on. One of the dolphins, however, appears to miscalculate its jump and misjudge the edge of its enclosure, landing painfully on the edge of the pool. The animal remains motionless as trainers rush to its aid, sparking concerns about its well-being. The owners of the aquarium were reportedly fined 7.5million pesos - around £290,000. Shockingly, the hotel was reportedly charging guests $129 - around £97 - for a 30-minute interactive experience with the dolphins when it was operating. 'Step into a breezy open-air palapa to check in, then spend the rest of your experience surrounded by tropical paradise while you interact with the dolphins and learn how to care for the oceans surrounding the Riviera Maya,' a website promoting the experiences read. 'For your comfort, you'll also find amenities like locker rental, changing rooms, showers, and photo/video services.' PROFEPA, the Federal Attorney's Office for Environmental Protection, said: 'Profepa imposed the definitive total closure of the Dolphinaris Barcel? establishment in Quintana Roo, due to various irregularities in its operation. 'Including: lack of dignified treatment, failure to report dangerous incidents, performance of acrobatics that put the specimens at risk and are not authorised in the management plan, among the causes.' Attorney General Mariana Boy Tamborrell added: 'Profepa wants to emphasize that any facility that manages marine mammals has a series of responsibilities imposed by law and must fully comply with them. 'We reiterate our commitment to taking decisive action to ensure the dignified treatment of captive wildlife.'
The Guardian
29-03-2025
- The Guardian
Murky dolphin deaths at Florida theme park prompt law enforcement raid
Wildlife officials and law enforcement officers have raided a Florida marine theme park where several dolphins died in mysterious circumstances, and activists filmed survivors in tiny pools swimming in murky green water. Agents served a search warrant on Thursday evening at the Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach, where the owners, the Mexico-based Dolphin Company, last week refused access to Florida fish and wildlife conservation commission (FWC) rangers seeking to conduct a wellness check. A state investigation is now under way into conditions at the park following the deaths of three bottlenose dolphins in October, and a fourth earlier this month when one of the mammals crashed headfirst into a shallow area of a pool while performing tricks during a public performance. James Uthmeier, the Florida attorney general, confirmed the raid, conducted in cooperation with the Florida department of law enforcement (FDLE), in a post to X. 'Today, at my direction, FDLE and FWC executed a search warrant at the Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach,' he wrote. 'While this investigation is in the beginning stages, we will not tolerate any animal abuse in Florida.' The park has become a target of activist groups including the Canada-based marine non-profit Urgent Seas, which posted the drone footage taken earlier this month and has expressed repeated concerns about the conditions in which the surviving 12 dolphins are kept. The organization said the environment at the theme park had deteriorated severely in recent months, and believed more dolphins will die in the small and decrepit concrete pools. It has organized a public demonstration at the park for 10am on Saturday to reinforce its call for the dolphins to be relocated to safer facilities. 'The conditions at Gulf World are among the worst we've ever observed,' Phil Demers, the executive director of Urgent Seas, said. 'The sheer number of dead dolphins over such a short period of time is shocking and inexcusable, yet Gulf World continues to operate without repercussions. You can't unsee those conditions once you've seen them. 'Hopefully authorities will act with some sense of urgency, and unless those dolphins and other animals are removed as soon as possible we can assume more will die.' The three mammals that died in October were far younger than the average life expectancy of 40 years for bottlenose dolphins. Gus, 14, was euthanized for an unspecified life-threatening condition; Turk, 15, had bacterial lung disease; and Nate, 20, died of a systemic infection, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's marine mammal inventory reports. The incident involving Jett, 14, occurred over the first weekend of this month when, according to witnesses, the dolphin appeared to misjudge a jump and suffered acute head trauma. Spectators were asked to leave the show area. Representatives of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) were also part of Thursday's raid, according to WJHG of Panama City Beach. The agency has cited Gulf World Marine Park numerous times dating back to 2014, most recently in January when USDA inspectors found sea lion pools rusty and in disrepair, with paint flaking into the water; cracked and broken concrete around a dolphin pool with powdered concrete in the water; and no shade for dolphins. The report also noted an exodus of six maintenance workers and seven animal care employees in the previous three months. 'It is evident that the facility does not have enough employees to maintain the prescribed level of husbandry,' the report concluded. The Dolphin Company did not respond to a request for comment. The Florida attorney general's office said it could not comment on an ongoing investigation. FWC, meanwhile, said in a statement that it 'takes the health and welfare of all wildlife, including Florida's marine mammals, very seriously. 'Due to growing concerns about the sanitation and condition of aquatic enclosures, as well as the wellbeing of captive bottlenose dolphins at Gulf World Marine Park, FWC has joined local and state partner agencies to conduct a thorough investigation of the facility. 'The safety and humane treatment of these animals are of the utmost importance, and we remain committed to ensuring that all necessary steps are taken to protect them.' The advocacy group World Animal Protection called for an end to public shows involving marine mammals. 'This venue and the rest of the captive dolphin industry need to stop breeding dolphins for profit, otherwise these deaths will continue,' Liz Cabrera Holtz, the group's senior campaigns manager, said. 'Dolphins are charismatic and social beings who deserve more than a lifetime in unnatural and cruel conditions. Entertaining tourists is not a justification for their suffering.'
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
France says no to retiring 2 orcas at proposed N.S. whale sanctuary
A proposed retirement home for marine park whales on Nova Scotia's Eastern Shore has hit another hurdle. France has denied an application to transport two orcas from Marineland Antibes to the site being proposed by the Whale Sanctuary Project, a U.S.-based non-profit organization, near Sherbrooke, N.S. The Antibes park closed permanently this month and is legally bound to part with the whales by next December. Célia de Lavergne, France's minister of ecological transition, said there were concerns if the sanctuary would be ready in time for the whales. That is according to a translated letter posted by the Whale Sanctuary Project online. The minister said there were also concerns about a lack of contingency if the whales did not adapt to natural water temperatures quickly. The Whale Sanctuary Project said it was unaware of concerns until Jan 20. By that time, a panel of scientific experts had already reached a decision. "We are hoping that they will reconsider and come to the table and at least have a conversation with us about what's best for these animals," Lori Marino, president of the Whale Sanctuary Project, said Tuesday. Marino said the project expressed interest in the two orcas — Wikie and Keijo — last April. She said the site in Barrachois Cove would have been ready for the whales this summer. She said the goal was to bring them to Nova Scotia in the summer so they would have had several months to adapt before winter. Project delays Phil Demers, the co-founder of the advocacy group Urgent Seas, which is based in Toronto, said sanctuary is a good idea in theory. He said the Whale Sanctuary Project has lost supporters like him as delays persist. "I think there does come a point where it becomes irresponsible and dangerous to suggest that you are a viable and a possible location for these whales when in fact you're not," Demers said. The Whale Sanctuary Project has offered to cover the costs of care for the two whales to stay at Marineland Antibes until the Nova Scotia sanctuary is able to open. Demers, a former marine mammal trainer, said the group should be focused on opening the sanctuary and not finding whales to use in fundraising. 'Another concrete tank' Regardless, the two orcas in France are likely to end up at Loro Parque in Spain, according to Marino. Neither the Marine Park or French ministry of ecological transition immediately returned requests for comment. "They passed that law because they don't want to see these animals entertaining and concrete tanks. And now they're going to another concrete tank," she said. "It isn't about us, it's about the whales." Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nova Scotia's Department of Natural Resources, and Transport Canada are working together on the regulatory considerations for the project. Any application would be subject to provincial review to assess any potential ecological, disease and genetic risks, according to DFO. MORE TOP STORIES
