Captive Dolphin Dies From Lung Infection on Las Vegas Strip at Just 19
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A bottlenose dolphin has died young from a lung infection at Las Vegas's Mirage Casino.
The dolphin, named Maverick, was the second dolphin to die at the Mirage's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat in the past five months, according to a statement by MGM Resorts. The first dolphin death of 2022 occurred in April, when a 13-year-old bottlenose named Bella died at the casino following treatment for gastroenteritis.
The Mirage's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat allows visitors to pay to meet, feed and pose for a photo with a bottlenose dolphin, and for extra money, to enter the water with the dolphin.
According to dolphin welfare group Ric O'Barry's Dolphin Project, before the deaths of Maverick and Bella, the casino had 10 dolphins, many of whom have been there for over 20 years. Since the habitat opened in 1990, 14 dolphins have now died at the casino, the majority of which were a similar age to Maverick, or under the age of two. Therefore, the casino's dolphins have a 64 percent death rate.
Bottlenose dolphins usually live for around 40 years, with some females, who live longer than males, having been reported to live for nearly 60 years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They are highly social animals, and are considered to be one of the most intelligent species in the world.
The dolphins reside in 2.5 million gallons of water across four connected pools, in the Mirage's Siegfried and Roy Secret Garden. About the same amount of water as five Olympic swimming pools, the habitat contains multiple dolphins used to the open ocean, capable of traveling up to 80 miles a day. The dolphins at the casino had been prone to biting and chewing at the edges of their pools.
"Our animal care team works closely with marine animal experts and veterinarians to ensure our dolphins are continually monitored and receive the very best care, year round," said Franz Kallao, senior vice president hospitality at MGM Resorts, in a statement.
"This includes weekly physical exams by veterinarians and a weekly meeting to review all aspects related to animal welfare including veterinary, behavioral and water quality. Nothing is more important than the health, safety and happiness of the animals entrusted in our care."
Maverick, the most recent dolphin to die, had been photographed to have skin lesions and rashes, thought to be due to a poxvirus infection.
According to Ric O'Barry's Dolphin Project, there is no permanent shade structure in the dolphin's habitat, meaning they cannot find shade between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. in the center and back pools. Las Vegas, where the casino is located, has an average summer temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
Due to their lack of protective fur, bottlenose dolphins are more susceptible to sunburn than most other animals. This wouldn't be a problem if the casino's dolphins were underwater all the time, however, the Mirage's dolphins are made to perform tricks and interact with humans at the surface, an activity that many captive dolphins find stressful.
When the attraction opened, visitors could also see Bengal tigers, white tigers, white lions, a snow leopard, a panther, and an Asian elephant.
In 2017, Siegfried and Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat was certified by animal welfare group American Humane as "meeting the highest standards of animal care."
