The Miami Seaquarium is a 38-acre (15 ha) oceanarium located on the island of Virginia Key in Biscayne Bay, Miami-Dade County, Florida located near downtown Miami.
Founded in 1955, it is one of the oldest oceanariums in the United States. In addition to marine mammals, the Miami Seaquarium houses fish, sharks, sea turtles, birds, and reptiles. The park offers daily presentations and hosts overnight camps, events for boy scouts, and group programs. Over 500,000 people visit the facility annually. The park has around 225 employees, and its lease payments and taxes make it the third-largest contributor to Miami-Dade County's revenue.
The park was founded by Fred D. Coppock and Captain W.B. Gray and was the second marine-life attraction in Florida. When it opened in 1955, it was the largest marine-life attraction in the world.
The park's first orca was Hugo, named after Hugo Vihlen. Hugo was captured in February 1968 in Vaughn Bay. Shortly after his capture, Hugo was flown to the Miami Seaquarium where he was held in a small pool for two years. Over the course of 10 years, judging by his behavior, it was clear that Hugo didn't adjust to his life in captivity. Hugo would regularly bang his head against the walls of the tank. On March 4, 1980, Hugo died of a brain aneurysm after a history of repeated self-injury.
From 1963 through 1967, eighty-eight episodes of the 1960s TV show Flipper and two movies starring Flipper were filmed at the Miami Seaquarium. From 1963 to 1991, the Seaquarium also had the Miami Seaquarium Spacerail, which was the first hanging monorail in the United States.
In 2014 Miami Seaquarium was bought by Palace Entertainment.
In 2022, the Miami Seaquarium was acquired by The Dolphin Company, which said that any negligence in animal care preceded their arrival. A 2023 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Inspection Report found several violations of the Animal Welfare Act. The report cited inadequate veterinary care, animal handling, facilities, employees and/or attendants, and critical separation of animals. Miami-Dade County has the option to terminate the Seaquarium’s lease and has considered that option as they have ongoing concerns about care of animals. In January 2024, the USDA was satisfied that the operators had addressed issues related to their notice of intent to confiscate to remove certain animals. The lease requirements mandate certifications from both Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums and American Humane. Local media reported in February 2024 that they had lost their accreditation from American Humane. The Dolphin Company was also behind on its rent payment according to the county’s parks department.
In March 2024, Miami-Dade County sent a lease termination notice to The Dolphin Company, giving the Seaquarium's owner until April 21 to move out. In the notice, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava cited a "long and troubling history of violations." As of June 25, 2024, the Dolphin Company, operator of the Seaquarium, was fighting the eviction.
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Seaquarium
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