Miami Seaquarium Dolphins Underfed, Underweight, and Aggressive After Diet Changes, USDA Finds

Getty Stock photo of a dolphin not the late K2

Miami Seaquarium is coming under fire after a new report found that the Florida attraction's dolphins are underfed and underweight.

According to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report obtained by PEOPLE, the agency's July inspection of the park — conducted after The Dolphin Company took over the Miami Seaquarium in March — found that many of the facility's 12 dolphins were underweight, underfed, and losing muscle mass. The report added that in spring 2022, nine of 12 dolphins were put on new restrictive diets without consultation from a facility veterinarian. In the report, the USDA links this "food deprivation" to the recent increase in violent and aggressive behaviors observed in the Miami Seaquarium's dolphins.

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On Oct. 20, PETA, citing daily training reports from Miami Seaquarium, claimed that the park's staff "withheld food from animals they felt exhibited poor behavior," which PETA claims may have been a factor that caused some dolphins to break from their enclosures and attack each other.

In an Oct. 21 release concerning the USDA report obtained by PEOPLE, the Miami Seaquarium shared a statement that started, "The Miami Seaquarium received professionals from the USDA for a July inspection of existing dolphin programs. Seaquarium staff shared detailed records for each dolphin in the collection and full access to professional staff, medical records, and facilities. The visit by USDA inspectors was prompted by an 'anonymous lead' concerning the diet and weight of several dolphins,"

"Specifically, the USDA noted concerns related to a change in dolphin diets – a reduction in caloric intake based on excessive weight observed among members of the dolphin collection, as well as miscommunication between members of the animal care team and the facility's Attending Veterinarian," the statement continues, adding the "Miami Seaquarium leadership became aware of these areas of concern prior to the USDA visit and took immediate, appropriate action well before being contacted by USDA."

In the release, the Miami Seaquarium responded to concerns about the dolphins' weight, stating that the park's "animal care staff lowered individual dolphins' base diet, then gradually increased their diet, with the goal of bringing them to an optimal level appropriate for each animal's specific age, activity level, and medical factors." The park added that "each dolphin's optimal weight range and BMI has been reset, not based on historical protocol determined by previous ownership, but by research, experience, and best practices contributed to the Miami Seaquarium by the world's foremost, independent experts."

The statement from Miami Seaquarium also addressed PETA's claims that the park's dolphins were given less food as a punishment to get the animals to perform better, regardless of veterinarian advice.

"At no time were adjustments, dietary or otherwise, made with the purpose of enhancing animal behavior during guest interactions," the Florida attraction shared, adding, "At no time has the authority of the Miami Seaquarium's Attending Veterinarian been ignored, however, there were some gaps in communication between departments this spring that were corrected."

PETA continues to campaign for people to avoid the Miami Seaquarium, despite the park's statement.

Jared Goodman, PETA Foundation General Counsel for Animal Law, told PEOPLE in a statement: "Even after officials promised greater oversight, this damning new federal inspection report reveals that Miami Seaquarium staff starved dolphins in order to force them to perform and made the emaciated animals perform more often than usual, causing them to attack trainers and bite members of the public."

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"PETA is calling on everyone to steer clear of the park, for the Seaquarium to release the dolphins along with the lonely orca Lolita, and for Miami-Dade County to shut this hellhole down," Goodman added.

Since the USDA report became public, PETA demonstrators have held protests outside Miami Seaquarium. Daniella Levine Cava, the mayor of Miami-Dade, also responded to the USDA's report, issuing a memo that said she "was deeply disturbed by the findings."

Cava noted that Miami-Dade Parks & Recreation is issuing a formal Notice of Noncompliance for failing to comply with federal regulations required under their lease, including the Marine Mammal Protection Act & Animal Welfare Act. The county is also hiring independent marine mammal veterinarians for random inspections — in addition to USDA inspections.

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"I have heard and read the concerns of residents and people from around the world," Cava wrote on Twitter. "We are committed to the health and safety of all our animals at the Seaquarium — I will continue to closely monitor the progress of our oversight efforts."

In the Miami Seaquarium's Oct. 21 statement, the park's general manager Patrick Pearson spoke on the care the facility provides to its dolphins.

"I want to be very clear about the Miami Seaquarium's commitment to providing the best possible environment for the health and well-being of the animals in our care," Pearson said, "When we assumed management earlier this year, we set out to correct decades of difficult circumstances. We know the world is watching and we welcome that attention because, in addition to providing the highest level of care for these animals, we want to be advocates for animal well-being around the world."