Hundreds of sea animals from a controversial and now-shuttered South Florida aquarium have relocated to Dallas.
In a social media post Christmas Day, the Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park said it had welcomed nurse sharks, a giant moray eel and “many lesser-aknown but equally important species” following the closure of the Miami Seaquarium.
The seaquarium, an institution for 70 years, closed in October after years of protests by animal rights advocates and growing complaints over the treatment of its animals. In 2023, the death of Lolita, also called Tokitae or Toki, an orca who entertained audiences for 50 years, sparked public fury. The seaquarium had agreed to release Lolita to the ocean several months before she died in captivity.
A 2022 report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found the aquarium dramatically cut daily feedings to nine dolphins to ensure they would perform for guests, resulting in “very thin animals” and “abnormal behaviors.” The park denied the allegations and said the reduced feedings were caused by “gaps in communication.”
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The seaquarium’s parent company, The Dolphin Company, filed for bankruptcy earlier this year and retained a consultant to relocate and transport the animals. On a website detailing the bankruptcy, the company said it would “prioritize the health, wellness and safety of the animals.”
Animal rights organization PETA sent a letter to the company urging it to evaluate all animals for potential release. If that was not possible, it asked the animals be released to “reputable sanctuaries where they can have some semblance of a natural life.”
On Friday, PETA President Tracy Reiman said in a statement that if a qualified veterinarian had determined the animals could not be released into the wild, she hoped they “can live as close to a normal life as possible and not be subjected to an onslaught of grabbing hands in exploitative encounters.”
The Dolphin Company did not immediately respond to a phone call or email Friday from The Dallas Morning News. It is not clear where the other animals were sent.
The Dallas Children’s Aquarium also did not immediately respond to a phone call or email, but it said Thursday on Instagram that it was “grateful for new beginnings.” The aquarium, which originally opened in 1936 as the first aquarium in Texas, closed during the COVID-19 pandemic and reopened in 2021 under new management.
“Behind the scenes, our team moved quickly to prepare safe, stable habitats and upgrade critical life-support systems so these animals could begin their next chapter with the care they deserve,” the Dallas aquarium wrote.