Another Dolphin Dies at The Mirage

Enough is enough!

After 14 dolphin deaths at The Mirage of Las Vegas, it’s time to set the dolphins free.

On April 14, “Bella” died at Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, an exhibit at The Mirage. In a press release sent out to area news outlets, the hotel stated the dolphin had been undergoing treatment for gastroenteritis for several weeks prior to her passing.

According to CetaBase, Bella was born on September 6, 2008 at the facility, and for almost 14 years, lived in a man made environment, performing for tourists. Her tank had no protection from the UV rays from the sun, and between the three pools of her habitat, she could often be seen chewing at the gates. On August 16, 2019, she gave birth to a female dolphin named “Lady Aces”, who remains alive today.

The Mirage of Las Vegas has one of the worst records for dolphin deaths in the United States. In 2008, a report named “Dying to Entertain You,” by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), identified a 70% mortality rate amongst the hotel’s dolphins.

Free the Mojave Dolphins protest

For many years, Dolphin Project has supported the grass-roots efforts of the Free the Mojave Dolphins organization. And now, you can, too! On April 30, at The Mirage, Free the Mojave Dolphins and CompassionWorks International will be urging locals and tourists alike to place pressure on the Hard Rock (the current owners of The Mirage) to shut down the animal exhibits once and for all, and relocate the dolphins and big cats to proper retirement facilities, where the mammals can live out their lives in peace and dignity.

Click on the links below to read more of our coverage of the dolphins at The Mirage.

Related:

Op-Ed: Mirage’s ‘Humane’ Label is Nothing but an Illusion
Desert Dolphin Death and Fuzzy Math
TAKE ACTION – Dolphins and other whales do not belong in captivity!

Featured image: Captive dolphin at The Mirage of Las Vegas. Credit: Free the Mojave Dolphins