Marine mammal parks and aquariums have long been controversial, with ethical concerns surrounding the captivity and treatment of marine animals. While some facilities adhere to rigorous accreditation standards, there are unfortunately those that fall short, compromising the well-being of the animals in their care. The Miami Seaquarium in Miami, Florida is one such facility. This article aims to shed light on the pressing need to shut down Miami Seaquarium due to its blatant lack of adhering to accreditation standards.
As of the most recent update, Miami Seaquarium holds accreditation from only one organization, The Alliance for Marine Mammal Parks & Aquariums, having recently lost their accreditation through American Humane last week. This loss comes on the heels of Miami Seaquarium's decision to not renew their accreditation with IMATA (International Marine Animal Trainer's Association) in the final months of 2023, even though it was valid for five years. Accreditation standards, such as those established by organizations like these provide essential guidelines for animal care, habitat design, and enrichment activities. Facilities that disregard these standards risk subjecting marine mammals to substandard living conditions, denying them the opportunity to express natural behaviors and interact with their environment.
Even before the lapse of these accreditations, multiple USDA inspection reports over the last three years have shown the extent to which Miami Seaquarium is failing the animals housed here and causing severe harm while demonstrating zero empathy.
The catalyst that really brought the failures of Miami Seaquarium into sharp focus on social media was the tragic death of the beloved Tokitae (Toki), also known as Lolita. Unfortunately, due to her exclusion from all USDA reports following The Dolphin Company's acquisition of Miami Seaquarium in 2022, Toki's true condition within the Whale Bowl remains undisclosed. Nonetheless, the June 2021 inspection raised alarming concerns about her well- being. The attending veterinarian (AV) expressed worry about Toki on various fronts during the inspection. Despite the AV's guidance, her daily diet had been reduced from 160 pounds to 130 pounds, and she was provided a substandard diet of poor-quality capelin, potentially causing distress. The AV also diagnosed Toki with lower jaw injuries, likely sustained during fast swims near the lower flume/bulkhead. Medical records highlighted repeated injuries, and in April 2021, the AV directed staff not to request head-in entry jumps from Toki. Shockingly, the Training Curator disregarded this directive, resulting in high-energy jumps and speed runs. Toki further suffered from eye lesions due to elevated chlorine levels from faulty equipment and inadequate shade in her tank under the Florida sun. In March 2023, after years of advocacy, it was announced that Toki would be preparing for a journey back to her home waters of the Salish Sea in Washington State. It should have been wonderful news but given her living conditions in The Whale Bowl at Miami Seaquarium and all the shady behind the scenes work happening, a lot of people were skeptical. Tragically, Tokitae passed away on August 18, 2023, succumbing to a combination of preventable illnesses that she never should have had to experience.
Since Toki's death, several distressing incidents of inadequate animal care have been highlighted at the marine facility during multiple USDA inspections throughout the year of 2023. Clarity, a manatee, exhibited evidence of a progressive skin condition, characterized by a thick layer of algae, and patchy white discolorations around her nostrils, mouth, and face, with numerous lesions on the ventral abdomen. Romeo, another manatee, was kept alone without plans for social interactions or enrichment. Additionally, the attending veterinarian faced challenges in conducting essential annual physical exams for the adult manatees due to the lack of proper scales. Urgently, all three manatees, including an adult female named Juliet, were relocated to better-equipped facilities. Concerns were also raised about several dolphins, including Ripley, known for ingesting non-food items, experiencing gastric distress. In a September incident, Ripley presented trainers with a two-inch nail, mangrove pods, and small pieces of shell in his throat. In another instance, a dolphin named Bimini presented with a broken bolt in her mouth. On December 27, 2023 Miami Seaquarium announced the sudden death of the dolphin named Sundance, stating he died from "precursors of illness" but have not provided any further information as to what happened. The death of Sundance brought the count of dolphins or whales that have died at Miami Seaquarium to 123 since it's opening in 1955. Furthermore, an adult female California sea lion named Sushi exhibited signs of eye pain and was refusing food due to suspected cataract-related issues. Along with her eye condition, the water in the pool she was supposed to be swimming in was overrun with bacteria. The ideal levels of coliform bacteria are approximately 1,000 MPN. The coliform levels recording during the month of November ranged from the lowest being 3,070.6 MPN and the highest being 24,190.6 MPN. Sadly, according to posts on social media published after the October 2023 inspection was released publicly, Sushi was quite possibly secretly euthanized last month, without a word from Miami Seaquarium.
The facility's medical records highlighted the unavailability of diagnostic tools such as ultrasound, radiography, endoscopy, and a functioning anesthesia machine for emergencies, posing significant challenges to comprehensive veterinary care. Immediate action and relocation of the affected animals were deemed necessary to address these critical concerns. Sadly, negligence extends beyond the marine mammals to the birds within the facility. In a recent report dated November 28, 2023, concerning the Tropical Wings section, numerous indoor and outdoor housing facilities were found to have signs of excessive rust, ventilation issues, and water teeming with bacteria. The penguin indoor enclosure, which houses nine penguins, had unaddressed condensation causing black mold on the ceiling, along with peeling paint, and rust. This section of the facility also houses a bonded pair of macaws that have engaged in extensive feather plucking and a third parrot, housed alone, that self-plucks due to the psychological distress caused by the living conditions. Furthermore, there is no shelter from inclement weather in the flamingo yard, housing twenty-nine flamingos near the park's entrance. Storms and high wind events are frequent in this area. The coliform counts in the flamingo pools, a concern voiced by the attending veterinarian (AV), have consistently exceeded 1,000 MPN in November, surpassing industry standards set at or below 1,000 MPN. During the inspection, the coliform counts were alarmingly high, measuring above 24,190.6 MPN, posing a significant health risk to the birds.
The dire situation at Miami Seaquarium emphasizes that facilities not taking animal welfare seriously must be held accountable, and in some cases, the only viable solution is to shut them down and relocate the animals. The unethical treatment of these intelligent, social beings not only compromises their physical and psychological well-being but also reflects a broader moral responsibility towards the creatures we share our planet with. It is incumbent upon regulatory bodies, the public, and animal welfare advocates to demand the enforcement of accreditation standards and the closure of facilities that fail to prioritize the humane care of marine life.
The revelations from Miami Seaquarium's damming USDA inspections serve as a stark reminder that the ethical treatment of animals should be non-negotiable. As we strive to broaden our understanding of marine life and their complex needs, it is imperative that we collectively advocate for the highest standards of care and welfare. The closure of facilities that fall short of these standards is not just a call for justice for the individual animals affected but also a resounding plea for a more compassionate and responsible approach to marine mammal and avian care on a broader scale.
The documented deficiencies in animal care, living conditions, and overall welfare of marine life demand immediate attention and decisive action. While Miami Seaquarium bears direct responsibility for these failures, we assert that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) must also be held accountable for its role in overseeing and regulating such facilities. The USDA plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the welfare of animals in captivity, including those housed in marine mammal parks and aquariums. As outlined in the Animal Welfare Act, the USDA is entrusted with enforcing regulations that establish minimum standards for the humane care and treatment of animals. However, the persistent and egregious violations reported at Miami Seaquarium indicate a failure on the part of the USDA to ensure compliance with these essential standards.
We call on the USDA to thoroughly investigate the lapses in oversight that have allowed Miami Seaquarium to operate in a manner detrimental to the well-being of marine mammals and other species. The USDA must take immediate corrective actions to rectify the deficiencies identified in inspections, implement more stringent monitoring mechanisms, and hold Miami Seaquarium accountable for its failure to adhere to established regulations.
Furthermore, we urge the USDA to reconsider its current regulatory framework, assessing whether it provides adequate safeguards against the mistreatment of animals in marine facilities. It is imperative that the USDA establishes a more robust and proactive approach to ensure the welfare of marine life, aligning with contemporary scientific knowledge, ethical considerations, and evolving standards within the zoological and aquarium community. The continued suffering of marine animals at Miami Seaquarium underscores the urgency for the USDA to fulfill its regulatory duties effectively. We believe that the USDA should not only address the immediate concerns at Miami Seaquarium but also reassess its broader role in safeguarding the well-being of animals in captivity, ensuring that facilities under its purview adhere to the highest standards of care and ethical treatment.
In addition to holding the USDA responsible, we must also address the county of Miami- Dade and Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. There is profound concern and disappointment
regarding the persistent negligence at Miami Seaquarium, a facility under the jurisdiction of Miami-Dade County. As the highest-ranking official overseeing the welfare of the
community and its resources, we assert that the Mayor of Miami-Dade County bears a responsibility to address and rectify the ongoing issues at Miami Seaquarium. The Mayor of
Miami-Dade County, as a key representative of the community, holds a position of influence and authority that can be leveraged to ensure the well-being of all living beings
within its jurisdiction.
We call on the Mayor of Miami-Dade County to take immediate and proactive measures to address the well-documented negligence at Miami Seaquarium. Despite sending a "Notice of Advisement -- Termination of Lease Review" to the facility last month, at the time of this writing, nothing has been done since. Miami Seaquarium continues to receive forty-five day notices without actually being held accountable, allowing the animals to suffer more. The facility essentially laughs in the county's face with vowing to remain open even while lacking the proper accreditation, while being in violation of lease agreements, and while being $90,000 behind on rent. How is this allowed to happen?
We call for transparency, accountability, and a commitment from both the USDA and the Mayor of Miami-Dade County to take decisive action against facilities that compromise the welfare of animals under their care. The revelations from Miami Seaquarium should serve as a rallying cry for a renewed commitment to the well-being of all captive animals. The time has come for a reevaluation of regulatory practices to guarantee that marine life in captivity receives the dignity and respect they deserve.
Resources: APHIS/USDA - https://aphis.my.site.com/PublicSearchTool/s/inspection-reports Report Dates: 06/08/2021, 07/06/2022, 11/14/2022, 04/11/2023, 07/17/2023, 10/16/2023, 11/02/2023, 11/28/2023 All USDA inspection reports used to collect this information can be found online at the APHIS Inspection Report site using Certificate #: 58-C-1252 or Customer ID: 6011009