MIAMI — A 26-year-old dolphin named Bimini died at the Miami Seaquarium on Tuesday morning after reportedly showing a lack of appetite, visible signs of discomfort, and shortness of breath.
“At the Miami Seaquarium, Bimini was denied proper veterinary care for her chronic pulmonary disease for months and even suffered broken ribs, likely caused by being attacked by stressed tankmates,” wrote PETA spokesman David Perle in an email to Local 10 News on Wednesday. “After a miserable life, she’s now dead, and PETA is urgently calling for the surviving animals to be sent to reputable sanctuaries before it’s too late.”
Bimini was among several at the Seaquarium who had recently ingested hazardous objects.
On Oct. 13, 2024, trainers discovered a broken bolt in her mouth.
Earlier, another dolphin, Ripley, had been found with a two-inch nail, mangrove pods, and small pieces of shell lodged in his throat.
Since December, two animals flagged by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for health issues and “inadequate” veterinary care have died at the Miami Seaquarium: Sundance the dolphin and Sushi the sea lion.
Federal inspectors have previously noted multiple issues with the Seaquarium’s indoor and outdoor facilities, according to a Local 10 News report from Feb. 7, 2024.
Former Miami Seaquarium veterinarian Dr. Jenna Wallace said she took photos of Bimini back in 2021 when employed at the facility which was about a year before the county signed a lease agreement with the facility’s current operator, The Dolphin Company.
“This was Bimini when I was there. She had fractured ribs and a pericardial effusion from being attacked when the males broke through the zip tied fences.”
“Within the last 5 years at least 17 marine mammals have died at Miami Seaquarium. This number does not include fish, sharks, birds, or reptiles. The facility was run down and the corporate and onsite employees I interacted with did not prioritize the animals. The diet cuts for Toki (Lolita) and many of the animals began in 2021 with a specific trainer and were perpetuated by later staff. A federal investigation that I was the key witness in was conducted in 2021 but was never released. There have been multiple federal, state, and local inspections but nothing has been done to stop the death of these animals. Miami Seaquarium and multiple employees that have obstructed justice and used food deprivation have not faced any consequences. This is one of the most tragic failures in animal welfare and federal oversight.”
“Bimini was a 26-year-old dolphin born in the Miami Seaquarium to her famous mother Nosey who was known for her role as Snowflake in Ace Ventura Pet Detective,” said Daniel Wehking, an attorney and former Miami Seaquarium animal caretaker and diver.
He said Bimini constantly suffered during her ownership by The Dolphin Company over the past three years.
“After having her ribs broken by other dolphins on multiple occasions The Dolphin Company eventually moved her to a new pool. She needed a bronchoscopy to deal with her breathing issues that The Dolphin Company refused to pay for,” said Wehking.
“Bimini lived long enough to show she was not inherently infirm but not long enough to die of old age,” he added. “The Dolphin Company’s failure to properly care for Bimini is responsible for her death. The USDA’s failure to confiscate an animal they knew was suffering is responsible for Bimini’s death,” he added.
Tricia Nicewicz, a former Seaquarium employee who’s since become an attorney, worries about the intersection of animal care amid ongoing bankruptcy proceedings.
“Animals under human care can live with conditions they would not be able to in the wild,” she said. “Bimini had known chronic health conditions. Until the autopsy is released, it is difficult to say what role The Dolphin Company’s current financial situation played in her death. But a company trying to sell off its assets is hardly going to invest money in the ones it already considers a loss. It makes me afraid for any of the animals that are old, sick, or beyond reproductive age. These animals represent losses on The Dolphin Company books and are unlikely to be purchased by other zoos and aquariums. ”
Nicewicz added, “they need an organization that’s going to be willing to take them because it’s the right thing to do for these beloved animals, not because it makes sense for the bottom line.”
Local 10 News has yet to hear back for requests for comment from The Dolphin Company, who we first reached out to when a tip of the dolphin’s death came into the newsroom.
<i>“Miami Seaquarium notified APHIS on September 16 that Bimini, a dolphin at the facility, died. The Animal Welfare Regulations do not require facilities to report animal deaths to APHIS. Licensed facilities must conduct a complete necropsy on all marine mammals that die in their care, and APHIS evaluates these records during inspections to ensure compliance with the regulations. APHIS most recently inspected Miami Seaquarium on July 10, 2025, and did not identify any noncompliant items at that time.”</i>
— USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Local 10 News also reported on the ongoing statewide criminal investigation involving the Florida-based Dolphin Company, which comes amid bankruptcy and eviction proceedings connected to its operations.
Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.
