![]() “The sea lions have been through quite an ordeal and will be greatly missed by their previous owners, trainers and caregivers. The Managing Director of Dolphin Encounters, Robert Meister, was very proud to welcome the sea lions to the marine mammal park on Blue Lagoon. The Meister family has demonstrated admirable consideration for me and I am sure that they will provide the best possible care to the sea lions in their new home.” I am confident that the animals will feel the love that she has for them. It warms our heart that some of the Katrina sea lions will be back together with someone as wonderful as Kim. “It was a joy to witness her love, care and rapport with all of the dolphins and sea lions at our facility. Jacobs, majority owner of Marine Animal Productions at Marine Life Oceanarium, could not have been happier at the outcome for these animals after their home was destroyed in Mississippi. I am so happy that they are now with us on Blue Lagoon Island.” If the animals were not going to be able to live in their old home, then I wanted to be sure that some of them would find homes with me and our team at Dolphin Encounters. I had raised, worked with and certainly knew most of the dolphins and sea lions, and it was terrible watching what was happening and talking to the trainers during and after the storm. “My family, friends and animals I knew and loved were affected. “I was completely devastated by what happened in Gulfport, Mississippi – my home – by Hurricane Katrina,” said Ms. It was an emotional journey for both the animals and their former trainer who closely followed their progress throughout the storm from Nassau. Terrell flew to Orlando and worked with the animals for several weeks prior to their transport to Dolphin Encounters. Terrell was the former Director of Training at Marine Life Oceanarium and Marine Animal Productions for fifteen years and a trainer for several of the sea lions with which she is now reunited. The process was an easier one given the reunion with their former trainer, Kim Terrell. Having all been born under human care, the animals had never seen ocean life in their pools and spent weeks familiarizing themselves with their new ocean habitat and trainers. In fact, to watch their behaviour, you would think they have lived here all their lives.” The sea lion exhibit at Dolphin Encounters is one of the largest, natural wet habitats for sea lions under human care in the world and far exceeds all international requirements. ![]() “I am so happy to report that all six of the animals are comfortable, eating, swimming and relaxing in their new habitat. “The transport went really well,” said Kim Terrell, Marine Mammal Director for Dolphin Encounters for ten years. They were transported by boat from Nassau to Blue Lagoon Island where they were introduced to their new all-natural ocean habitat and joined our Bahamas animal life. The sea lions arrived by private charter transport from Sea World Orlando where they had been living and generously been taken care of post-Katrina. After surviving Hurricane Katrina and the massive destruction of their former home at Marine Life Oceanarium in Gulfport, Mississippi in 2005, six California Sea Lions permanently joined the marine mammal family at Dolphin Encounters on Blue Lagoon Island just one year later.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |