Lone Dolphin Pining Away In World's Largest Shopping Mall

[corporatewhore]

Lone Dolphin Pining Away In World's Largest Shopping Mall

by Becky A. Dayhuff
Animal News Center

Posted on January 22, 2004

Howard is the lone survivor of four Atlantic bottle-nosed dolphins captured off the coast of Florida in 1985 and shipped to the West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta, in Canada, to be put on public display.

Now 25, Howard has spent 23 years of his life languishing in the mall's indoor aquarium, known as the Dolphin Lagoon and Sea Life Caverns.

Howard's health has been declining for years. That decline has escalated following the deaths of the other three dolphins who were his only companions. Maria died in 2000, Gary in 2001, and Mavis in July of 2003.

During their lives in the indoor aquarium, Maria and Mavis had given birth to five calves, all of whom were stillborn.

After years of controversy and pressure on Howard's behalf from several environmental and animal rights organizations, West Edmonton Mall's general manager, Gary Hanson, announced in late 2003 that the mall planned to move Howard to an unnamed facility.

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[BigBigBear]

1. I'm sorry

but these stories really get to me.

Very sad - sentient, social creatures being jailed for our amusement. In a mall, no less.

Set him free.

[Avalux]

2. I'm going to cry now

Dolphins should not be allowed in captivity. Period. How very, very sad.

[Gman]

3. Dolphins are very social animals

You may as well put an old person in solitary confinement for the rest of their life.

[RebelOne]

4. Well, I certainly hope thise unnamed facility has other dolphins.

I hate reading stuff like this. It breaks my heart because I am such an animal lover.

[corporatewhore]

7. the place is

West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta, in Canada
http://www.anc.org/wildlife/wildlife_article.cfm?identifier=2004_0122_howard

[Solly Mack]

5. I love dolphins

They can recognize themselves(they know who they are! pretty exciting if you ask me)...

They even preened when wearing a hat...and they know the difference between different hats..and which hat they like better.

There was a study...mirror placed in tank....various hats placed on the dolphins heads...and they raced to the mirror to check themselves out...then rushed back up to get a new hat...and even showed they preferred certain hats to others...Dolphins are well..dammit...incredible and a marvel and something wonderful to behold. ...but in their in world, the ocean...not my world, the land.


Damn humans...

[corporatewhore]

6. oops for got to post link

http://www.anc.org/wildlife/wildlife_article.cfm?identifier=2004_0122_howard

[BigBigBear]

8. Maybe the worst part

further down in the artcile:

"Despite the worldwide controversy surrounding the dolphins' captivity and deaths, the mall still intends to open additional animal exhibits. Don Ghermezian, president of Triple Five Corporation, parent company of the WEM and the Mall of America, recently announced future acquisitions of lion and bear cubs, elephants, zebras, and sea lions for display at the mall. "

I'm not a big animal rights crusader, but sheesh - keeping wild animals in malls, to perform for shoppers? I think it's grotesque.

[TrogL]

9. Howard's an old friend

The kids like to visit the mall when we come into town and visiting Howard has become a tradition. He's a real showoff and loves splashing people but he's beginning to show his age.

Near as I understood the situation, Howard is ill - to ill to be moved to another facility, at least at the moment.