WASHINGTON – While praising the efforts of federal and local officials in a dramatic rescue of eight escaped dolphins found in the polluted waters of the Mississippi Sound, The Humane Society of the United States cautioned against allowing a repeat of the situation when the next big hurricane comes along.
HSUS urged that the government agencies involved carefully scrutinize the operator’s decision to leave the animals behind and deny approval of any proposals to reconstruct the Marine Life Oceanarium in Gulfport, Miss. in a location that will not ensure the future safety of the animals.
The dolphins miraculously survived being left behind at the facility, but were swept out to sea as the storm surge overwhelmed their tank, an occurrence that should have been anticipated, given the urgent warnings and massive publicity about Katrina.
According to The HSUS, this hazardous situation could have been avoided if the facility’s owner had acted with the necessary urgency to evacuate the animals before it was too late. News articles quote him as saying he left many of his dolphins and sea lions behind during the Sunday afternoon evacuation because his facility had “weathered other hurricanes.”
But news reports made it clear that the approaching storm was unlike any other hurricane: Katrina was at one point a category 5 hurricane, which made landfall almost directly on top of Gulfport the next day as a category 4.
The escaped dolphins have lived most or all of their lives in captivity and do not necessarily have the survival skills to fend for themselves in the wild. They were found in a location heavily contaminated with oil and other toxic substances and the bodies of thousands of dead chickens from nearby factory farms. The dolphins are being treated for infected wounds and malnutrition.
“What happened to these dolphins this time will happen again if the aquarium is rebuilt in the same location,” Dr. Naomi Rose, marine mammal scientist for The HSUS, said. “We understand the owner is considering this, and the federal agencies responsible for the protection of captive marine mammals must not allow it. Marine Life Oceanarium was right on the shore in a hurricane zone. Katrina’s destruction has validated our long-held concerns about all coastal public display facilities in the Gulf and Caribbean regions.”
The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration reports that the dolphins were found emaciated and covered in wounds in a stretch of water filled with thousands of dead chickens and oil slicks. Preliminary blood work results suggest they are fighting off infections. The dolphins will be housed in temporary holding tanks donated by the U.S. Navy dolphin program and treated and evaluated before being sent to a facility in Florida.
“There is no guarantee the dolphins will survive long-term,” Rose said. “Even if they recover from their injuries, exposure to this water for two weeks may have serious health consequences.”
Before Katrina struck, six dolphins from the Oceanarium were moved inland to hotel swimming pools and were subsequently evacuated to Florida. Nineteen sea lions also were missing from the Oceanarium, but most have now been recovered; five were confirmed dead. Two dolphins have already been rescued and are being held in a hotel swimming pool until the temporary saltwater tanks are prepared.
“NOAA and local officials have been enormously helpful on this rescue mission and we’re very grateful to them,” Rose said. “We recognize, though, that these vulnerable animals wouldn’t have been in this position if the evacuation had been started as soon as the potential of this emergency was apparent. We urge the federal government agencies not to allow the Marine Life Oceanarium to be rebuilt in any location that is vulnerable to future hurricanes."
The HSUS recommends that all captive marine mammal facilities in hurricane prone zones reconsider the adequacy of their evacuation plans in light of this disaster.
Disaster Animal Response Teams from The HSUS have been in the Gulf region since Katrina came through to lead animal rescue efforts there. Information on these efforts can be found at www.hsus.org.
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization representing more than 9 million members and constituents. The non-profit organization is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals and equine protection, disaster preparedness and response, wildlife and habitat protection, animals in research and farm animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy, and field work. The group is based in Washington and has numerous field representatives across the country. On the web at www.hsus.org.
