Latest news with #dolphins
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
Dolphin's death another wake-up call to phase out animal captivity
Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at [email protected] or filling in this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification Advertisement Rita, a female Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin at Hong Kong's Ocean Park, has died at the age of 24 . In the wild, dolphins of her species can live over 40 years, yet Rita's premature death comes as no surprise. Taison Chang Kai-tai , former Ocean Park employee and current chairman of the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society, has exposed the suffering of dolphins imprisoned in the park: constant noise, limited food and cramped enclosures. Highly intelligent and social, dolphins in captivity often exhibit atypical or meaningless behaviours given the lack of stimulation or autonomy. These conditions contribute to their deteriorating health and shortened lifespans. Despite the evident harm, dolphins remain in captivity because they are highly profitable crowd-pullers. Zoos and marine parks often mask this cruelty with sugar-coated narratives. Ocean Park, for instance, claimed Rita helped 'convey conservation messages' since 'students had learned about and appreciated the natural behaviour' and 'were inspired to contribute to marine conservation'. But as naturalist Jacques Cousteau once said, 'There is about as much educational benefit to be gained from studying dolphins in captivity as there would be from studying mankind by only studying prisoners held in solitary confinement.' Cultural critic John Berger similarly noted that seeing animals in zoos is like viewing 'an image out of focus'. Advertisement More importantly, educating the public about animals through captivity reinforces human superiority by normalising the exploitation of animals for our 'education'. This undermines true environmental education, which should cultivate care and respect for the natural world, not dominance.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Protest continues as Gulf World dolphin removal is delayed
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WMBB) – U.S. Congressman Neal Dunn's office reported that seven bottlenose dolphins were cleared for removal from Gulf World on Friday. They were expected to be removed by Saturday. A video shows that preparations for the dolphin's removal are underway. Protesters camped outside Gulf World all Friday night, and say they haven't seen the dolphins leave yet. Protestors say they just want the dolphins removed, but not to another facility owned by the Dolphin Company. Gulf World Marine Park dolphins potentially being moved within the next 24 hours The park reportedly has 11 dolphins left. According to the latest update from Neal Dunn's office, there are still four living rough-tooth dolphins without permits for removal. 'We are begging, begging, begging. Please. We know that you guys have a permit to get these Southern Bottlenose dolphins out. There are still four rusty dolphins in there. We need all the dolphins. Like, we are concerned for the safety of every single living creature there,' protester Jamie Marghany said. After hearing confirmation that a fifth dolphin died on Wednesday, protestors want state-level action. 'It's inhumane. It's animal abuse on the highest level. And I am so sad that our Governor Ron DeSantis, our attorney general, has not done anything to step up and save these animals,' protester Cheryl Cargile said. The park closed unexpectedly on Wednesday and is said to remain closed until June 3rd. However, tickets were still available for purchase online the day before. Now, ticket-buyers are struggling to get a refund. 'We went online and Tuesday to look for the tickets. We put it up here because I've always wanted to run the Dolphins here, and it shows open not to fortnightly. So we've been coming down through here, and it shows daily, and it shows right here on their little sign, their little advertisement of everything. The people that's beside me from Georgia bought their tickets online they bought their tickets online. But when you go to call my brother Justine, they hang the phone number so they won't even speak,' Gulf World customer Amy Killian said. Gulf World employees were on-site, but did not provide refunds. Protesters believe Gulf World is hiding what conditions the animals are living in. 'We know for a fact that they are Photoshopping pictures because we had someone go in the same day that they posted a photo. Theirs is perfectly blue, clear water, and the actual photo is green. So the dolphins all have abnormalities and issues. They're shocking with granular chemicals because the numbers are broken. It's just not a good situation,' Marghany said. AFib awareness: Stroke risks & advanced treatment options They believe Gulf World is leaving a negative impact on tourists visiting Panama City Beach. 'I have a two-year-old grandbaby that's still crying, wanting to go in there, baby, we can't go in there, honey. They're not alive. And how do you explain that to a two-year-old?' Killian added. The fight isn't just for the dolphins. Protestors want all of the animals to be removed from Gulf World. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Gulf World Marine Park: Florida opens criminal investigation into dolphin deaths
Several dolphins have reportedly died over the span of five months at a Florida marine park and aquarium, prompting several investigations, including a statewide criminal investigation, according to officials and media reports. Attorney General James Uthmeier said Friday that his office had opened criminal investigations into Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach, Florida, and its apparent parent company, Mexico-based The Dolphin Company. Concerns have been raised in recent weeks and months following the reported deaths of five dolphins and concerning inspections noting algae-filled swimming pools and tanks, and low staffing to maintain the facility. The FWC and the USDA, which oversees marine care, animal movements, and facility inspections, are also investigating. What we know Five dolphins under the care of Gulf World Marine Park in Florida's Panhandle have died since October, according to several media reports, citing Florida state Sen. Jay Trumbull. Sen. Trumbull posted an update on March 28 that a second dolphin had died, marking two dolphin deaths in a month. Additional reports indicate that three dolphins died over the span of a week in October 2024. "Another dolphin has died at Gulf World. This marks the second in just over a month—and it's part of a disturbing and unacceptable pattern. These are not isolated incidents—they are signs of failure, and they demand immediate action," Sen. Trumbull said in a Facebook post. "From the moment we were first made aware of the situation, we demanded action. We engaged with all relevant state agencies immediately to intercede in any way possible and have continued to press for swift intervention ever since." The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has conducted 19 inspections at Gulf World Marine Park since 2014. The most recent inspections were conducted on Jan. 8 and March 4, 2025. Those inspection reports detail a facility seemingly in disrepair: "All the dolphin pools still have an excessive amount of at least 6 inches of algae bloom along all the walls and bottom of pools and clumps of algae floating in pools" - March 4 inspection "When the APHIS inspector was standing above the main pool, looking down into the water, it was difficult to see the dolphins if they are approximately three feet below the water" - March 4 inspection "At the time of the inspection, there is no working filter for dolphin east pool which went down on November 13, 2024. According to staff, the filtration for dolphin west is only functioning at 50 percent" - Jan. 8 inspection "There is an abundance of algae growth in multiple dolphin pools with the inspector scraping algae off a step that was almost 6 inches in length" - Jan. 8 inspection "The facility has lost six maintenance employees in the past three months leaving them with two maintenance employees. Additionally the facility has lost seven animal care employees in the past three months" - Jan. 8 inspection "At the time of the inspection, the penguins had been moved to an indoor room due to colder temperatures. The room where the animals are housed appears to be an 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" - Jan. 8 inspection "The perimeter around the dolphin stadium pool is in the early stages of disrepair with paint flaking off right at the edge of the pool" - Jan. 8 inspection "The facility still has not provided shade over the far side of dolphin east pool where dry guest interactions are done, or the over the main show stage where the dolphins station for food during training sessions with the trainers or during public guest interactions after shows" - Jan. 8 inspection "Along the far wall of the sea lion stadium pool where a seal was swimming, rust is still coming through the wall and running down the wall and into the water" - Jan. 8 inspection FOX 35 Orlando reached out to The Dolphin Company and Gulf World Marine Park on Friday for comment, but did not hear back. Click to open this PDF in a new window. Click to open this PDF in a new window. On March 1, a dolphin named "Jett" died after performing a trick during a public show. He was found on the bottom of the pool with blunt force trauma to his rostrum and skull, according to the March 4, 2025, inspection report. "When he came down into the water he went to the bottom of the pool and did not resurface. Due to excessive algae growth, the trainers could not visualize what occurred and according to conversations with the staff, they believed he was hanging out on the bottom of the pool because he did not receive a bridge reinforcer," the report states. "The trainers did not suspect anything was wrong, until he did not resurface in a timely manner. The trainers then separated the remaining dolphins, cleared the stadium and entered the pool to find him on the bottom. When he was pulled to the surface there was evidence of trauma to his rostrum, and it was clarified by the veterinarian that he was deceased. Preliminary necropsy results confirmed that cause of death was blunt force trauma to his rostrum and skull." A vet theorized that when the dolphin re-entered the water during the show, he hit a shallow shelf, damaging his rostrum and skull. "Due to the lack of clarity in the water and the inability for the trainers to see what happened, all reaction time was significantly delayed," the inspection stated. USA Today, citing Marine Mammal Inventory Reports, noted that the three dolphins who died in October 2024 were euthanized due to "an unspecified life-threatening condition, a bacterial lung disease and a systemic infection." Staff reportedly blamed construction near a pool where the dolphins were living on the deaths. According to its website, The Dolphin Company operates 21 dolphin experiences and marine aquariums in the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Italy. There are four in Florida: Gulf World, Panama City Marineland, St. Augustine Miami Seaquarium, Miami Dolphin Connection, Duck Key It's unclear if the state's investigation includes the other Florida facilites. According to USA Today, The Dolphin Company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on March 31 in Delware. The report said the company wants $8 million in debtor-in-possession funding or financing to restructure the business. USA Today reported that Gulf World Marine Park was sold to The Dolphin Company in 2015 for $15 million, citing court documents. According to its website, Gulf World was founded on Memorial Day in 1970. What they're saying "Thank you, @AGJamesUthmeier for your leadership on this matter. The FWC is fully committed to coordinating with the Attorney General's Office of Statewide Prosecution to ensure justice is served and Florida's marine life is protected from abuse" - FWC in a X post on May 30. "Today, my office opened a statewide criminal investigation into Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach and its Mexico-based parent company, The Dolphin Company" - Attorney General James Uthmeier in a X post on May 30 "Gulf World Marine Park is a Class C Exhibitor, license number 58-C-0992. APHIS has been in regular contact with the facility and has been conducting frequent inspections. The most recent inspection posted to the Public Search Tool is from a March 4 inspection" - USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service "This remains an active ongoing criminal investigation in conjunction with local, state, and federal officials, including the State Attorney's Office. FWC recognizes and shares the rightful concerns of the community and will provide updates as soon as they become available" - FWC in a X post on May 28. "The reported dangers to worker, visitor, and animal safety at Gulf World must be addressed without delay. City, county, state, and federal representatives are urgently working together to demand Gulf World comply with all investigations and applicable regulations. We continue to invite Gulf World to collaborate with us" - Panama City Beach Mayor Stuart Tettemer, March 24 Requests for comment were sent to Gulf World Marine Park and The Dolphin Company via their websites. The Source The information in this article comes from statements and/or social media posts from Attorney General James Uthmeier, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, public USDA inspection reports, local and national media reports, and a March 24 news release from the City of Panama Beach.
E&E News
7 days ago
- General
- E&E News
Fisherman who killed bottlenose dolphins sentenced to a month in jail
A Florida charter boat captain will pay a $51,000 fine and spend a month in jail for killing bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico, according to a sentence handed down last week by a federal district judge. Zachary Brandon Barfield's sentencing by Magistrate Judge Michael J. Frank of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida followed a plea deal with prosecutors on three counts of violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act stemming from the shooting and poisoning of dolphins. The guilty plea followed a two-year investigation by NOAA Fisheries and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission after a law enforcement agent in 2023 received a tip that a fisherman was killing bottlenose dolphins in waters in the northern Gulf of Mexico, which President Donald Trump recently renamed the Gulf of America. Advertisement According to a statement of facts filed into the court record, Barfield, whose business operated out of Panama City, inserted a deadly insecticide called methomyl into baitfish using paper towels to deter dolphins from eating red snapper off fishing lines. He later fired a shotgun five times at dolphins near his fishing vessel, killing one, according to court filings.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Yahoo
Florida charter boat captain sentenced for poisoning, shooting dolphins
A charter boat captain from Panama City has been sentenced for poisoning and shooting dolphins. The U.S. attorney's office for the Northern District of Florida says Zackery Brandon Barfield, 31, was sentenced to 30 days' imprisonment and must pay a $51,000 fine. This is for Barfield's three counts of poisoning and shooting dolphins in violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. Prosecutors say Barfield got frustrated with dolphins eating red snapper from the lines of his charter fishing clients, so he placed a toxic pesticide inside baitfish to poison them. That toxin was methomyl, which is restricted by the Environmental Protection Agency to control flies in nonresidential settings. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
