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Credit: Gulf Marine World ParkYet another dolphin has died at an infamous Florida theme park, bringing the death toll to five.
The 2013 documentary Blackfish ignited global backlash against marine parks, exposing the psychological and physical toll of captivity on orcas at SeaWorld. The film sparked boycotts, legislative efforts, and widespread public outrage, forcing SeaWorld to end orca breeding and shift away from theatrical shows. It also intensified scrutiny of other marine parks housing marine mammals in similarly confined environments.
In Florida, attention has increasingly turned to Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach. Owned by The Dolphin Company, the facility has faced mounting criticism following a string of dolphin deaths and allegations of inadequate care. Regulators have investigated the park over unsanitary conditions, chronic understaffing, and repeated violations of animal welfare standards—raising serious concerns among experts and animal rights groups.
Between late 2024 and early 2025, four dolphins died at the park, with the fourth passing after crashing head-first into the shallow end of the pool during a public performance. These deaths, combined with the park’s ongoing dolphin shows and lack of meaningful reform, have intensified criticism – especially in light of a fifth death this week.
Fifth Death Announced at Florida Theme Park
Florida Sen. Jay Trumbull has called for the immediate removal of all remaining dolphins from Gulf World Marine Park following the death of a fifth dolphin. In a statement shared on social media, Trumbull described the pattern of fatalities as “disturbing and unacceptable,” urging state wildlife officials to intervene without delay and ensure the animals are relocated to a safer environment (via WIFR).
Trumbull said his office has been in contact with the USDA and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, pushing for urgent action. He added that other aquariums in the state, including SeaWorld, have already expressed willingness to house the remaining dolphins. “This doesn’t need to continue,” he said. “We don’t need to see a report next week, two weeks from now, of another dolphin passing away. We really need to act now to make sure this doesn’t happen.”
In March 2025, law enforcement officials and officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) raided the park. Phil Demers, the executive director of Urgent Seas, a Canadian-based marine non-profit, told The Guardian:
The conditions at Gulf World are among the worst we’ve ever observed. The sheer number of dead dolphins over such a short period of time is shocking and inexcusable, yet Gulf World continues to operate without repercussions. You can’t unsee those conditions once you’ve seen them.
Hopefully, authorities will act with some sense of urgency, and unless those dolphins and other animals are removed as soon as possible, we can assume more will die.
Urgent Seas used drone footage and undercover visitors to capture troubling footage of dolphin conditions at Gulf World. The group also led protests outside the park, urging the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to relocate the remaining dolphins.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which participated in the raid, confirmed it had issued multiple citations to Gulf World dating back to 2014. One citation, issued in January, documented rusted sea lion pools, flaking paint contaminating the water, cracked concrete around a dolphin enclosure, and a lack of shade for the animals.
“The deaths of dolphins in rapid succession is deeply troubling,” said former SeaWorld Orlando trainer Valerie Greene after the three previous dolphin deaths at the park. She added that former staff members have reached out to her to share their worries that the park, which was purchased by The Dolphin Company in 2015, “has devolved into a roadside attraction.”
“It was built in 1969 and it shows,” Greene told the Panama City News Herald. “The animal tanks are no bigger than hotel swimming pools, and they’re falling apart.”
Greene has claimed that the dolphins may have ingested airborne pathogens unearthed by nearby construction at the Florida theme park, ultimately leading to their deaths. The wall around their tanks allegedly does not provide suitable protection from potential debris.
Gulf World Marine Park Announces Temporary Closure
Gulf World Marine Park announced an unexpected closure for the remainder of the week but did not provide a reason. The Florida theme park, which falls under Dolphin Discovery (which in turn is owned by The Dolphin Company), has faced intensifying scrutiny following a string of dolphin deaths since October 2024. Animal rights groups and state officials have demanded greater accountability and oversight of the park’s operations and animal welfare standards.
Outside the Panama City Beach attraction, protestors gathered with signs reading “DON’T GO IN” and “5 dolphins dead in 8 MONTHS.” Their message echoed that of Florida Congressman Neal Dunn, who said the latest death underscored a “dereliction of duty.” Dunn added that the animals’ quality of life at Gulf World had been “totally unacceptable,” and called for swift and decisive action.
The Dolphin Company voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. in March 2025 after making another financial filing in Mexico in February 2025. It claimed that it was doing so to restructure its business and address financial challenges.
Have you ever visited Gulf World Marine Park?