UNLV Sends Students to Mirage's "Dolphin Death Pool" for Credit

Last month, I blogged about the Siegfried and Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at The Mirage. Nearly 75,000 people have already signed the petition, "No More Dolphins Swimming in Vegas," started by dolphin advocate and Change.org community member Barbara Napoles, in opposition of the habitat.

So far, there has been little response from The Mirage, but Born Free USA has recently relaunched their campaign to shut down the Dolphin Habitat, calling on their members to keep the pressure on The Mirage, too. Born Free USA believes that, "the last place a dolphin belongs is in a pool, in a hotel, in a city in the middle of the Nevada desert."

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas doesn't agree, and uses the Dolphin Habitat at The Mirage — nicknamed the "Dolphin Death Pool" for its 75 percent premature death rate — as an internship opportunity for students.

The internship attracts biology majors. The schools website states that "the intensive program teaches the ins and outs of training dolphins."

Using the Dolphin Habitat as an educational tool for biology majors is backwards. While the students learn about how to make dolphins perform tricks, they also complete a research project. One student completed his project on behavior and play between dolphins at the habitat. But how much can one learn about natural dolphin behavior from dolphins in an unnatural environment?

Born Free USA states that studies show captive marine mammals often develop stereotypic behavior patterns and even aggression that has not been seen in the wild.

It's certainly understandable, as Born Free USA also points out that keeping these highly intelligent mammals in captivity deprives them of their "natural activity level, social groups and interactions with their natural environment."

Some of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas students who intern as dolphin trainers at the habitat speak to elementary, middle and high school students about dolphins. While it's an excellent idea to educate students about dolphins and the ocean ecosystem, using the Mirage's Dolphin Habitat as an example only instills that it's justifiable to keep dolphins in captivity.

Born Free USA says it best: "Forcing wild animals to live in environments that are incapable of accommodating their natural behavior is not conservation, educational or humane. The most important conservation message that people need to learn is how to value these animals without turning them into commodities for our entertainment."

There are many alternative internships available that allow students to study dolphins in the wild where they belong, and that's where UNLV should be sending its students.

The pressure is building to close the Dolphin Habitat at The Mirage. Barbara Napoles is thrilled with the support for her petition. "It's been an amazing quick response from the general public and animal lovers everywhere. I never expected this petition to take off and become as viral with the out pour of love and sentiment for these majestic mammals."

Now it's time to put the pressure on UNLV to stop legitimizing the industry of keeping dolphins in captivity as tourist attractions.

Tell the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to stop sending students to The Mirage's "Dolphin Death Pool," and provide the tools necessary for students to pursue internships focused on wild dolphins in their natural environment.

Photo credit: LaPrimaDonna