National Aquarium: Dolphin Discovery

The first two time I visited the National Aquarium back in 1995 & 1998, the Dolphin area was a place of performance.  The dolphins did tricks for treats and delighted the assembled audience.  They were taught how to send waves of water onto those sitting in the "splash zone" to the utter anticipation and delight of those who came early to sit in those seats.

That was then.  Now we are enlightened.  Keeping intelligent animals like Dolphins in captivity is cruel.  I get that.  I do.  But I'm not 100% on board with the more radical adherents to this philosophy.  Because while Dolphins are quite intelligent, they are only childlike intelligent.  They are products of their training, students of their environment, sentient to the point of the world they know.  They are not human smart.  And don't get me wrong, on some levels they have us beat to a pulp!!

But I am preaching.  Here is my experience from my visit.

The Dolphin Discovery is only about 10% acrobatics and all of that is about demonstrating how their physicality is used in nature to benefit their communication and survival.  The rest of the demonstration is about how the Aquariums cares for the welfare of these magnificent animals.

 Spirit, the largest female is being examined and photographed.  A weekly routine for all of the dolphins in the Aquariums pod.

 Chesapeake demonstrates a forward breach.

Spirit demonstrates a flip with all of her 450 pound grace--she is the largest of the dolphins.

The Aquarium has a plan to move all 7 of its Dolphins to a sanctuary that it will create by the end of 2020.  The idea was presented two years ago, and has been in a selection and finance phase ever since.  To date no site has been chosen and the money is lagging for the project.  The hope remains that things will improve and allow these Dolphins to relocate to a contained and nature marine environment to live out there lives.  When completed, other Dolphins from other institutions could also join them in retirement.  The underlying fact is that none of these animals could survive in the wild.  To just release them would be a death sentence.

As to this space, no decision for its redesign/repurposing has been made.

I have thoughts on both scores.

1) I would love to see the National Aquarium choose a site in Puerto Rico.  Keep the project on American soil and provide Puerto Rico with economic growth and another tourist site.

2) Introduce another marine mammal like the California Sea Lion to the space that would create demonstration possibilities for public consumption.

3) Extend the Pier 4 building with additional marine mammal habitats to include other members of the seal family like Harbor, Harp, Fur, or Monk Seals.

4) Consider creating a habitat for Pacific Walruses.  A species that is rare at zoological parks/aquariums and in need of more public exposure in an era of climate change.

5) Consider creating a habitat for Sea Otters.  This species is also rare in zoos etc. and in need of Species Survival Plan Consideration.

Whatever they decide, I hope it elevates the place of marine mammals at the National Aquarium.