Seaquarium loses key certification for Miami-Dade County lease but vows to stay open
A sea lion going blind because of cataracts, rusty bird cages, mold in the penguin house, ants in a vitamin cabinet, one dolphin swallowing a nail, another jumping a barrier between pools, and flamingos wading in dirty water were among the problems cited at Miami Seaquarium in an inspection report released Wednesday.
Seaquarium, the 69year-old Virginia Key marine park, formerly home of the late Lolita the killer whale, also lost its accreditation from American Humane’s animal welfare certification program, which leaves it in violation of its lease with Miami-Dade County.
Seaquarium’s only remaining certification, as listed on its website, is from the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA). The lease requires a minimum of two certifications, by AMMPA and by American Humane or a similar thirdparty validated program. Seaquarium did not renew its International Marine
Animal Trainers’ Association certification in September.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced plans to terminate Seaquarium’s lease last month. Seaquarium, run by the Mexicobased Dolphin Company, issued a rebuttal two days later and released a statement Thursday saying it “remains committed to upholding the highest standards of animal welfare and providing a safe and enriching environment for our resident animals.
“We continue to operate under the lease agreement as executed by MiamiDade County and remain open to the public.”
While the Dolphin Company says it has been trying to upgrade the aging park since it took over two years ago, it has been unable to stem successive critical reports from U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors, who have found underfed dolphins, inadequate veterinary equipment, persistent staff turnover and unfilled positions, mishandled animals, unhygienic con