By Kirsten Massebeau

On July 12, 2014 temperatures reached 102 degrees fahrenheit in Las Vegas, Nevada. Unbeknownst to many 10 dolphins are trapped in the Mojave desert far from the ocean. Despite the many dolphin deaths the Mirage hotel and casino’s, “Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat“, also know as the, “Dolphin Death Pool” continues to be restocked. The dolphins imprisoned in the Mirage’s “Dolphin Death Pool”, continue to prove the desert is no place for highly intelligent and social, ocean animals by failing to thrive, and dying after their long work days entertaining guests for profit at the MGM Resort in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip.

, On July 19, 2014 Dolphin Tweetstormers will unite on Twitter in an attempt to create awareness, and expose the unnatural and cruel conditions dolphins must endure in the  “Dolphin Death Pool”. According to long-time dolphin activist and creator of the Facebook page, “Save the Blood Dolphins“, Barbara Napole’s: “The desert is no place for dolphins”! Barbara a Floridian, and accomplished captain, navigator, and sailor of her own ship has seen wild dolphins in the ocean for most of her life. When she learned about Siegfried and Roy’s, Dolphin Death Garden she knew that she must take action. She created her petition at that time entitled: “No More Dolphins Swimming in Las Vegas”. Since its creation in 2011 the petition has gathered over 85,000 signatures. Her petition encourages MGM Resorts to close, and retire the dolphins suffering in the Mirage’s “Secret Dolphin Death Pool”:

In 2013 was a breakthrough for the dolphins suffering in the Mirage as Facebook page Free The Mojave Dolphins from the Mirage. Creator Shelly Rae and co- administrator Cecilia LaBar Mialon are now making waves in Las Vegas documenting and fighting for the dolphins imprisoned at the MGM Resorts Mirage. Their Facebook page, events and petitions are drawing worldwide attention.

“This petition proposes its readers to urge the Mirage to prepare a plan to provide shade and/or relocate the dolphins to a facility that mimics the dolphins natural environment. These creatures belong in the ocean, not in the middle of the desert. If they are truly a research and educational facility they would not need to be located on the Las Vegas Strip”! (source)

Dolphins do NOT belong in the Desert (Mirage Hotel Dolphins from Martyn Stewart on Vimeo. “A twenty-four year sentence” “The Polynesian themed resort known as ‘The Mirage’ has been keeping dolphins captive for the past twenty-four years.  Twenty-Two dolphins have been confined to a life of unnatural and tragic existence since the “habitat” opening in 1990.  Twelve have perished including babies and four wild caught.  That’s an astonishing 55% death rate giving the facility the nickname of “The Dolphin Death Pool”. Here is a list of the dolphins that have died there since its opening in 1990: * Rascal – age 4 – Death unknown * Darla – age 18 – Died from chronic pancreatitis * Squirt – age 15 – Died from respiratory ailment * Picabo – age 18 – Died suddenly from internal tear in its stomach * Bugsy – age 3 – Died from pulmonary abscess * No name – Stillborn * No name – 2 week old calf – died from pulmonary edema * Sigma – age 32 – Died from heart failure * Banjo – age 32 – Died from heart failure * Merlin – age 40 (estimate) – died from pneumonia * Sage – age 11 – death unknown * St. Pepper – age 2 – lung infection The causes for such a high mortality rate is due mainly to stress related diseases and perhaps the extreme summer temperatures as high as 118 degrees. (source)

Martyn Stewart wildlife photographer recently visited the, “Dolphin Death Pool” documenting pox marks on dolphins languishing in the summer heat. In an interview with Champions for Cetaceans he had this to say about trainers and staff at the “Secret Dolphin Habitat”: “The many things that were said to me still stick in my mind like “We feed the dolphins Restaurant quality fish” Do they really believe this stuff that comes out of their mouths! If a dolphin had a choose, would he catch it in the wild alive or book a table in a restaurant to eat!! Its preposterous”!(Martyn Stewart)

“This is a sad still from a video I took today at the mirage in Vegas. This dolphin was going back and forward biting the gate and concrete that separates the two pools in the secret garden. I asked one of the “Educators” why is he doing this? She replied “He likes the sound of his teeth rubbing against the concrete and metal, maybe the taste too!! The woman called the “educator” had only been in the job 2 weeks and she said “in the wild, they don’t have the benefits we provide for these animals like hoops and balls!!!! I will tell them how i feel when i leave this god forsaken place…. until then, i will let them play the dickhead in the show because they are really good at it”! (Martyn Stewart)

 Join our TWEETSTORM on Saturday July 19 to free the Mojave Dolphins from the Mirage Hotel, in Las Vegas! AND SIGN the 4 petitions! Favor firmar las 4 peticiones!