Animal advocates outside Miami Seaquarium voice concerns about relocations after park closes – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports
KEY BISCAYNE, FLA. (WSVN) – Animal advocates gathered outside the Miami Seaquarium to commemorate the marine park’s closure and call for the safety of its surviving animals.
After 70 years of being a landmark in the Magic City, the seaquarium is coming to an end.
7News on Saturday captured demonstrators outside the theme park.
“We have been fighting for these animals for decades, and it’s about time,” said a protester using a bullhorn.
But concerns remain about the relocation plan and the condition of the animals at the facility, which has long since been a magnet for controversy.
When the killer whale Lolita died in 2023, her home went into its own decline. The seaquarium battled animal rights accusations, as well as staffing issues, and faced scrutiny over poor park conditions.
“We still mourn for the animals that have died here,” said Holly with the group SoFlo Animal Rights.
For years, groups like SoFlo Animal Rights raised concerns over the health and treatment of the animals
Holly told 7News that they finally feel heard.
“Relief, but yet there is still immense sadness. We don’t know what’s going to happen with the animals inside,” she said.
They’ve been torturing animals for decades, and they deceive the people by telling them lies and saying that they use these animals for educational purposes. That’s not true,” said Lana Montalban with SoFlo Animal Rights.
So what will happen to the animals? The company that owns the seaquarium said the safety of their animals is their main concern, as they sadly say goodbye to their home.
While no announcement has been made as to how they will transfer the animals out, the company does own other marine parks. The seaquarium’s dolphins and sea lions could be relocated to those parks.
Developer Terra Group plans to take over the property and develop a marina, retail spaces, restaurants and an accredited aquarium without marine mammals.
“We want to make sure that the redevelopment plans for this project do not include any kind of captivity of animals,” said a demonstrator.
While concern still remains, many parkgoers are sad to see it go.
The marine theme park opened in 1955 and quickly became famous with shows starring Flipper and killer whales Lolita and Hugo.
They were an attraction that some will never forget.
“Yeah, I would come when I was a kid. Yeah, like in the 1970s,” said a park visitor.
“It’s a beautiful park. It looks like it’s in great condition, and very sad to see it go,” said another park visitor.
The Miami Seaquarium will shut its doors on Sunday.
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