live to reach fifty or sixty years of age. The youngest one at the National Aquarium is eight years of age. Practically a kid, it will not be sent back into the ocean for fear of its knowing how to survive only in a controlled environment and not in open waters. I can remember when my mother would take me to the dolphin exhibit in the aquarium, where she used to work! The Dolphin Discovery exhibit is the largest exhibit in the Aquarium. It opened in 1990. The exhibit had a colony of eight bottlenose dolphins. When my mom worked there, she came in every morning to feed and play with the dolphins. During the dolphin shows she would lead the dolphins to do tricks and would take people to pet them. However, the dolphin shows were stopped a few years ago. Visitors can now see the dolphins only in captivity. Visitors can come in and get a glimpse into the life of a dolphin. There are six female dolphins and two male dolphins. The oldest dolphin was born in the wild in 1972. The dolphins can form relationships with each other. Now there are thirteen marine mammal specialists who take care of the dolphins.
While the current dolphin exhibit is entertaining for us, it is not good for the dolphins. Years of research have proved this, and protests from activists about keeping dolphins in captivity continue. The dolphins in the National Aquarium will be moved to an oceanside sanctuary. The transition is expected to be done by the end of 2020. This will be the first dolphin sanctuary in North America. Scientists say dolphins need their own habitat to express themselves and to form social groups essential for their wellbeing. Sites for the dolphins are being evaluated in Florida and the Caribbean. This change is a victory for animal welfare activists. Who wants to be in captivity anyway? I BelongMagazine.com provides a forum for young people to have their voices heard. When you support our publication and its advertisers, you are helping our students earn income and gain professional public relations skills. Thank you!
Page 13 I BelongMagazine.com Fall/Winter 2016–17
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