The National Aquarium in Baltimore announced that it will move its eight Atlantic bottlenose dolphins from their amphitheater pool to the nation's first ocean-side sanctuary by 2020.
The Aquarium is exploring potential seaside sites in Florida and the Caribbean where the dolphins would still be cared for by humans but would have more room to swim and interact with their environment.
According to the Baltimore Sun, "this decision comes after years of protests by animal activists and others who consider it inhumane to keep such large, intelligent animals as performers in captivity." The aqaurium has spent five years weighing options.
Heather Rally, a veterinarian for PETA commented that bottlenose dolphins are highly intelligent and "can suffer psychological damage and develop abnormal, repetitive behaviors when inhibited by confined spaces."
While many will miss seeing the dolphins at the National Aquarium, moving these animals to a sanctuary would be a groundbreaking step. To read the full article that appeared in the Baltimore Sun, click to baltimoresun.com.
Tuesday, June 14, 2016 - 09:32
The National Aquarium in Baltimore announced that it will move its eight Atlantic bottlenose dolphins from their amphitheater pool to the nation's first ocean-side sanctuary by 2020.
The Aquarium is exploring potential seaside sites in Florida and the Caribbean where the dolphins would still be cared for by humans but would have more room to swim and interact with their environment.
According to the Baltimore Sun, "this decision comes after years of protests by animal activists and others who consider it inhumane to keep such large, intelligent animals as performers in captivity." The aqaurium has spent five years weighing options.
Heather Rally, a veterinarian for PETA commented that bottlenose dolphins are highly intelligent and "can suffer psychological damage and develop abnormal, repetitive behaviors when inhibited by confined spaces."
While many will miss seeing the dolphins at the National Aquarium, moving these animals to a sanctuary would be a groundbreaking step. To read the full article that appeared in the Baltimore Sun, click to baltimoresun.com.