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A second bottlenose dolphin has died at the now shuttered Miami Seaquarium in the last three months.
On Tuesday, the Dolphin Company announced the death of Boomer, a 10-year-old bottlenose dolphin who had recently arrived at the facility in June from Dolphin Connection in the Florida Keys for closer supervision. He died on November 2, according to the press release.
The Miami Seaquarium operator said that Boomer had a long history of health issues, including chronic appetite irregularities, recurrent inflammation, and intermittent infections.
“In recent weeks, Boomer began experiencing weight loss, at which point the teams kept him under daily treatment and provided him supplemental nutrition,” the company said. “These efforts initially appeared to show success as Boomer began to regain weight and behave normally.”
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Emails obtained by New Times show that an emergency transport request for Boomer was submitted in early June.
“Boomer would be a better fit, socially, at the Miami Seaquarium, and Boomer will have better social counterparts at the Miami Seaquarium,” the email reads.
This is now the second Dolphin to die at the embattled marine park this year. Bimini, a 26-year-old dolphin who suffered from breathing problems and broken ribs before her death, died at the facility in September. An October 2023 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report noted that Bimini had ingested nails and bolts.
“On the morning of 10/14/23, one dolphin ‘Bimini’ in Dolphin Harbor presented to trainers with a broken bolt in her mouth,” the report stated.
The controversial marine park officially closed on October 12, after Miami-Dade County terminated its lease at the publicly owned 38-acre site last year, citing the park operator’s “long and troubling history of violations.” During the eviction proceedings, the Dolphin Company filed for bankruptcy in March 2025. Last month, a federal bankruptcy judge approved developer David Martin’s $22.5 million purchase of the county lease for the property. Martin, CEO of the Terra development firm, plans to transform the property into an entertainment complex with a marina, restaurants, aquarium, and baywalk.
Following the news of Boomer’s death, the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) noted that dolphins typically live 40 years or longer in the wild. The group urges the release of the other animals still at the shuttered facility.
“The Miami Seaquarium has shut its doors, stressed animals are still suffering in its crumbling concrete cells,” PETA President Tracy Reiman said in a press release. “PETA is pleading for the survivors to be immediately evaluated for possible release to their ocean homes, and to reputable sanctuaries if not right for them, before this decrepit hellhole costs another animal their life, and urges everyone to refuse to support SeaWorld and other amusement parks that keep captive dolphins.”
A necropsy will be performed to better understand the circumstances behind Boomer’s death, the Dolphin Company said.
“Boomer was a remarkable dolphin who captured the hearts of all who had the privilege of working with him,” the company said. “The team at Miami Seaquarium is heartbroken by Boomer’s passing despite their best efforts to support him, but the team remains committed to providing the highest level of care to all animals entrusted to them and to learning from each experience to further advance marine mammal wellbeing.”
