Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach, Florida is accused of housing dolphins in miserable conditions. Photo: UrgentSeas//Instagram
A Florida marine park is under fire after allegations of animal abuse surfaced. In the last year alone, four dolphins have died at the Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach.
Video footage taken by animal rights activist group UrgentSeas shows the dolphin tanks at the park are filled with murky, green water. The footage prompted an investigation into the conditions. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said he would “not tolerate any animal abuse.”
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Uthmeier asked Florida’s Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to look into the matter, and a warrant was issued to inspect the conditions.
UrgentSeas believes that the dirty water in the pools likely is an indicator that the conditions at the park are only getting worse. “We will shut them down,” the group wrote. “More vids and updates to come.”
According to the BBC, one of the four dolphins died after “after hitting its head in the shallow end of a pool while performing tricks for an audience.” Gulf World Marine Park has a variety of animals, including bottlenose dolphins, rough-toothed dolphins, sea lions, penguins, harbor seals, birds, and reptiles.
While the investigation is still underway, UrgentSeas is dedicated to rescuing the animals currently living at the park.
“We’ve been documenting and publishing videos of Gulf World’s distressing conditions and will continue until those animals are urgently rescued,” UrgentSeas director Phil Demers told the BBC. “My concern is that those animals will be forced to remain in place as conditions continue to deteriorate.”
