Inside the Rescue of Four Dolphins from a Florida Marine Park

Back in early June, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) helped rescue four dolphins from Gulf World Marine Park. These poor creatures were essentially left for dead, according to experts. Initially, animal rights group TideBreakers released multiple videos and posted various calls for action to save the marine animals. You can scroll through the footage on their Instagram page. These innocent animals were trapped in toxic, cramped tanks for months on end while the organization fought for their rescue.

Timeline of the Gulf World Marine Park Dolphin Rescue

Let’s go back to 2015, when The Dolphin Company officially purchased Gulf World. According to TideBreakers, this was the beginning of the end. A string of avoidable animal deaths has occurred over the years. By October of 2024, conditions had become grim. In the span of just one week, three bottlenose dolphins died. The advocacy group believes their untimely deaths were a result of “inadequate precautions during construction of a nearby Top Golf location.” Their names were Gus, Turk, and Nate.

From there, the situation continued to go downhill. One of the most important filtration systems for the dolphins broke, leading to horrific tank conditions for months. Additionally, in March of 2025, a fourth dolphin named Jett died during a performance. The poor creature fractured his skull in the shallow part of his tank after attempting a jump.

This is when TideBreakers stepped in. The group showed up at Gulf World Marine Park in March on a mission to collect evidence. What they found was more disturbing than they ever could have imagined. You can watch one of the videos on the group’s Instagram page.

According to consistent updates from TideBreakers, these dolphins were still kept in the toxic, cramped tanks with poor filtration and inches of algae for months following their initial callout. Basically, the creatures were swimming in their own waste for days on end. Amid all of this, The Dolphin Company filed for bankruptcy, and the dolphins were considered “assets,” which further delayed their rescue. By the end of May, a fifth dolphin named Samira passed away. This seemed to be the final straw, as Gulf World officially closed the next day.

Gulf World Marine Park Rescue Mission

Within a week, four rough-tooth dolphins were rescued from Gulf World and safely moved to Clearwater Marine Aquarium. The seven remaining bottlenose dolphins were moved to MarineLand and Dolphin Connection.

Toward the end of June, the aquarium shared a statement on Facebook about the rescue.

“Yesterday was a big day at Clearwater Marine Aquarium! Doris, Kitana, Dagny, and Wren, our four new rescued rough-toothed dolphins, were officially introduced to Hope, Rudy, and Rosie. We’re thrilled to share that the introduction went well, and they’re all getting along swimmingly!” the statement said.

In addition to Clearwater Marine Aquarium stepping in to rescue these beloved creatures, the FWC—in response to TideBreaker’s efforts—also helped with transportation.

On their own Facebook page earlier in June, they spoke about successfully transporting the dolphins from Panama City to Clearwater Marine Aquarium. They assured supporters that the aquarium’s team confirmed the dolphins were healthy before moving them. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) also deemed them to be non-releasable.

In a statement to A-Z Animals, the FWC says, “The FWC Division of Law Enforcement remains steadfast in our commitment to protecting Florida’s marine life. In coordination with our partners, we have been proud to be part of the relocation efforts and the major steps forward in the investigations at Gulf World Marine Park. FWC is actively assisting our federal partners to ensure accountability and the highest level of care for these animals.”

How to Get Involved

According to TideBreakers, on May 30, the Florida Attorney General’s office launched a criminal investigation into The Dolphin Company. The company owns four parks in total in Florida, but Gulf World Marine Park has officially closed.

TideBreakers shared their petition on Change.org to hold The Dolphin Company and Federal Agencies accountable for the incident. One such agency is the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Recently, the advocacy group shared shocking information about the USDA’s inspection report from March 27, 2025. Allegedly, regarding Gulf World Marine Park, the department “issued two ‘critical’ citations for inadequate veterinary care and handling of animals, along with NINE other ‘non-critical’ citations.”

However, according to TideBreakers, the park still operated for months under the deteriorating conditions.

“The system is broken,” says Valerie Greene, a former SeaWorld animal trainer and animal welfare and trainer safety advocate for TideBreakers. “People assume this kind of abuse doesn’t happen here, but the laws in the United States designed to protect captive animals are woefully inadequate. The animals deserve better, and if the agencies won’t act, we must speak up to protect them. “

Additionally, some of the remaining marine animals from Gulf World were moved to other roadside attractions owned by The Dolphin Company.

“We are seeking the immediate confiscation and removal of animals to parks not owned or operated by The Dolphin Company until the conclusion of the Florida state criminal investigation and federal bankruptcy proceedings have been resolved,” Greene says.

You can help support TideBreakers’ advocacy by spreading awareness and staying informed about the situation.

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