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Credit: Leonardo Dasilva, FlickrA former trainer at a Florida theme park has claimed that a dolphin died in his arms after committing suicide – marking the moment he pledged to fight for the freedom of the park’s animals.
In a recent interview with The Mirror, Richard O’Barry – founder of The Dolphin Project – described some of the most harrowing moments of his time working for Miami Seaquarium.
Related: Dolphin and Trainer Injured in Attacks at SeaWorld Orlando
During his career, O’Barry captured and trained over 100 dolphins. Most significantly, he was responsible for training the five dolphins (Susie, Patty, Kathy, Scotty, and Squirt) who played Flipper in the TV show of the same name, which was produced in partnership with Miami Seaquarium.
However, in 1970, Kathy died in his arms after going underwater and never returning to the surface. O’Barry believes that she committed suicide by repeatedly hitting her head against the wall of the tank and views this as the turning point at which he realized he needed to leave the industry – but he was relatively alone in believing it was unethical.
“She died in my arms [at the] Seaquarium of self-induced asphyxiation (suicide),” O’Barry told The Mirror. “When I walked out of the Miami Seaquarium, I didn’t go far; just outside the front gate with my very first protest sign, ‘Free Flipper,’ I think, In any case, this was the beginning of a movement. Historically, there was no opposition to dolphin and whale captivity before the first Earth Day in 1970.”
Since then, O’Barry has fought for the freedom of captive marine mammals. “I turned away from the multi-billion dollar industry that I helped create and started tearing it down,” he said.
As well as setting up The Dolphin Project, O’Barry has rescued and rehomed dolphins worldwide, and fought to end dolphin hunts in Japan, the Solomon Islands, the Faroe Islands, and Indonesia.
Related: SeaWorld Issued Warning by Government After Dolphin Attacks
The Dolphin Project celebrated a win earlier this month when Miami-Dade County formally evicted Miami Seaquarium after repeat violations of its lease. Over the past few years, an increasing number of reports from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have accused the park of neglecting its animal residents.
Some of the worst incidents include a sea lion named Sushi, whose cataract surgery was delayed for so long that she developed severe ocular pain and refused to eat, ultimately dying in January 2024. A dolphin was also found with a two-inch nail in its mouth, another with a bolt, and the pools of various animals filled with bacteria.
Miami Seaquarium has denied any wrongdoing and is currently contesting its eviction. In a statement shared with Inside the Magic after receiving the notice, it stated: “Miami Seaquarium respectfully requests that Miami-Dade County reconsider its decision to terminate the lease. The Seaquarium is committed to constructive dialogue and collaboration to address any outstanding concerns. The shared goal is the welfare of marine life, the Seaquarium’s team, and the continued enjoyment and education of its visitors.”
Inside the Magic contacted Miami Seaquarium for comment but did not hear back by the time of publication.
Do you believe dolphins should ever be kept in captivity? Let us know in the comments!