Marineland of New Zealand, Napier (Closed) last dolphin at Marineland dies

Chlidonias · 11 Sep 2008

Marineland's last dolphin dies (+pics) - New Zealand, world, sport, business & entertainment news on Stuff.co.nz

Napier's Marineland is closed today after the death of star attraction Kelly the dolphin.

Kelly was the last remaining dolphin at the marine centre after her companion Shona died of old age in 2006.

The pair arrived at Marineland in 1974.

The cause of 38-year-old Kelly's death was unknown at this stage.

In the wild, Common dolphins usually only live for between 15 and 20 years.

The future of Marineland was now in doubt after Napier Mayor Barbara Arnott said in July that nobody would visit Marineland if there were no dolphins, making it impossible for the centre to stay afloat.

Marineland has New Zealand fur seals, Californian sea lions, little blue penguins, gannets and some other animals. It is also an animal hospital for sick or injured marine mammals and birds.

Marineland Manager Gary Macdonald said the staff would continue to care for the remaining animals for as they still resided at Marineland.

"The staff are obviously very upset, but glad that Kelly passed away peacefully and quickly."

Mr Macdonald said the last few days had been "a worrying time for Marineland staff" as Kelly's symptoms appeared to be similar to those of Shona.

Ms Arnott said that it was the "end of an era" for the people of Napier.

"It is a grief within their Marineland family and I know that everyone will be feeling for them," she said.

She said Marineland was going to be closed after Shona's death two and a half years ago, "but because Kelly was happy to carry on it remained open."

"(We were) thinking Kelly would be really lonely without Shona but she soldiered on."
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Chlidonias · 14 Sep 2008

Marineland closed

I saw on the news last night that Marineland has now been closed to the public by the Napier city council. I don't really understand the viewpoint that nobody will visit without dolphins, and that without the dolphins they need to close. There are fifty other animals at the facility including NZ fur seals and Californian sealions. And now without visitors there is no money coming in to look after them! There's nowhere else in NZ with the facilities to take seals except Auckland Zoo, and they wouldn't have the room because they already have their own seals occupying the pool. There is going to be a public meeting to decide the outcome, as to whether the place reopens or closes down completely. I have no idea where they expect the animals to go if they do shut it down entirely.

ZYBen · 15 Sep 2008

gosh all this over one dolphin death, Can they import another one?

Chlidonias · 15 Sep 2008

they applied for a permit to import some captive-bred dolphins in 2006 and were refused.

ZYBen · 15 Sep 2008

ok, do they not have adequate facilities?

Chlidonias · 15 Sep 2008

I've never been. NZ Jeremy has photos in the gallery Napier Marineland » ZooBeat Photo Gallery

dragon(ele)nerd · 15 Sep 2008

Seems like , a sad loss, but I guess from what I'm seeing the facilities aren't fantastic,

NZ Jeremy · 16 Sep 2008

I posted this in another thread:

NZ Jeremy said: ↑

I was there in March... The underwater viewing is closed to the public due to structural problems (OSH closed this), the pools are tiny, old and overpopulated...

The tour guide stated the council isn't willing to spend the 10 million NZD to upgrade to a point where they would be able to get more dolphins and they are having no luck getting private investors... All in all a place going downhill...
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Chlidonias · 22 Sep 2008

Marineland's new stars wait in the wings - New Zealand, world, sport, business & entertainment news on Stuff.co.nz

Marineland's new stars wait in the wings
By BERNARD CARPINTER - The Dominion Post | Tuesday, 16 September 2008

Marineland staff are training sea lions and seals in the hope that shows will go on after the death of their star attraction, Kelly the dolphin.

The long-running Napier tourist attraction has been closed to the public since Kelly's death last week, but staff are hoping the city council will reopen it.

The council will hold public consultations before deciding whether it can afford to run Marineland without its key attraction.

At the zoo yesterday, Rebekah Cuthbert and Nora Tenbrock were giving lessons to seal Iha, who is almost one.

Manager Gary Macdonald said the staff were enjoying the opportunity to spend extra time working with the animals, not having to worry about the public performances.

"The Californian sea lions and New Zealand fur seals have been part of the show for quite some time, along with the dolphins," Mr Macdonald said.

"We are very capable of putting on a show just with the sea lions and/or the seals.

"For the past 2½ years, when we gave Kelly a break or she didn't want to perform, the shows went on with the sea lions and seals. In some ways the sea lions are more entertaining than the dolphins."

During shows, the smaller sea lions were taken for walks through the audience. "That has quite an impact," he said.

The zoo's little blue penguins were also very popular with the public.

One of Mr Macdonald's ideas for a revived Marineland is to incorporate Maori legends about the Hawke Bay sea.

"There is a taniwha out there, and Ngati Kahungunu believe they are related to the taniwha," he said. There was also the story of Pania of the Reef, commemorated in the statue further along Marine Pde.

Marineland has nearly 50 animals, including five sea lions, nine seals, 18 penguins and several gannets. Some could live for another 20 years.

It is unlikely that any could be released into the wild – because they are injured or were born in captivity – but Marineland's licences from the Conservation Department require it to continue to care for the animals.
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NZ Jeremy · 22 Sep 2008

They could definitely do it... The seal shows were only slightly less entertaining... The question is should they..?

Chlidonias · 7 Oct 2008

Children's petition to save Marineland - New Zealand, world, sport, business & entertainment news on Stuff.co.nz

Children's petition to save Marineland
The Dominion Post | Wednesday, 01 October 2008

A children's petition is the latest effort to save Napier's Marineland from permanent closure.

Brianna Otto, 9, is aiming to collect 1000 signatures from school pupils, asking the city council to reopen the marine zoo, which has been closed since the death of its last dolphin three weeks ago.

"We've got 466 signatures so far," Brianna, a pupil at Reignier School in Taradale, said yesterday. She believed Marineland had enough attractions even without the performing dolphins, the main drawcard since it opened in the mid-1960s.

"I think the other animals are quite good," she said. "It's not just the dolphins - I actually like the seals just as much." At a Marineland open day in August, Brianna and her sisters got to feed and touch Kelly, the last dolphin.

"She felt like a hard-boiled egg without the shell," she said. Brianna believed that visiting Marineland was an educational experience.

"You see the animals, the real thing - it's different from seeing models.

"I know children can't vote but we still have a voice. Children do have opinions and this is how we can express our opinion."

Brianna plans to present the petition to mayor Barbara Arnott.
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Chlidonias · 26 Nov 2008

latest news on Marineland

Marineland discussions begin today News - Yahoo!Xtra News

Submissions will be made to the Napier City Council today on what to do with Marineland.
Some of the concepts include turning the facility into a Butterfly and Penguin House, keeping it as a marine hospital and education centre, and converting it into a museum and art gallery.
Another will suggest turning Marineland into a futuristic maze, similar to Infinity on the Gold Coast. Councillors are expected to make their way through 174 submissions in the next two days.
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NZ Jeremy · 27 Nov 2008

I think some of those ideas are much better than what they had, even when they had an attraction like Kelly...

Chlidonias · 19 Dec 2008

Marineland open again

Marineland set to open today - New Zealand's source for travel news on Stuff.co.nz

Marineland's seals, sea lions and other animals will meet their fans again today after months of seclusion.

The marine zoo, one of Napier's top tourist attractions, closed its doors to the public in September after the death of its last performing dolphin, and it looked as though it would be wound up completely.

But public support led the city council to reopen Marineland for the summer, and look for ways to revitalise it for the future.

Animal trainer Anna Svensson said yesterday that it had been a bit strange working in the zoo without the public coming through, but the trainers had enjoyed having extra time to work with their animals. "I have been working with Iha. She's a New Zealand fur seal born here one year ago. A seal in the wild can be very dangerous but we have handled her since she was born and she's used to humans.

"She'll have two swims a day where people can interact with her in the pool. She loves being with people, she loves being held and petted."

Ms Svensson also looks after two little blue penguins, Onion and Draco, who were both brought in injured and nursed back to health, although they are not quite fit enough to go back to the wild.

Marineland hours will again be 10am to 4.30pm, but because there are no performing dolphins which used to be the main drawcard prices have been cut.
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Shere_Khan · 20 Dec 2008

Yay! Thanks for the heads up. I guess I'll be going tomorrow!

Chlidonias · 22 Dec 2008

funny thing, at Mahia just north of Napier there's a bottlenose dolphin that's been entertaining people for free for the last 18 months
Dolphin too friendly for her own good - New Zealand, world, sport, business & entertainment news on Stuff.co.nz

Moko the friendly dolphin has become so friendly she has taken to bringing swimmers fish - but she has been receiving some unfriendly treatment in return.

The three-year-old bottlenose dolphin has made Mahia Beach her home for more than 18 months, and has become a familiar sight socialising with swimmers and boaties.

Many a bodyboard, crayfish buoy and rugby ball have been taken out to sea, never to be seen again, as the cheeky dolphin continues to play on her own.

Others had been on the receiving end of Moko's generosity, Conservation Department programme manager Jamie Quirk said.

"She has actually been bringing fish to people. People have had kahawai and gurnard brought to them and some lucky people have had her bring them seahorses," he said.

Lately, however, some people have been "roughhousing" with Moko, scarring her skin with scratches caused by jewellery and sharp fingernails.

"We are a bit concerned that some people are getting into rough play with her - they jump on her back or grab her dorsal fin," said DoC Wairoa field officer supervisor Malcolm Smith.

"She can play rough right back - she's a big, powerful animal, she probably weighs 150 kilograms. She could damage someone."

Mr Smith said Moko appeared to be well-fed and healthy, despite all the human attention.

Mahia resident Bill Shortt has been watching Moko's movements since she arrived in the area at Easter 2007.

"Moko is getting tamer than ever," he said. "It's really amusing. She comes right in to the shore now, into only a few feet of water, to play with the children."
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NZ Jeremy · 23 Dec 2008

Very groovy, the new Opo perhaps..?

Chlidonias · 23 Dec 2008

hopefully it won't end the same way....

Chlidonias · 23 Dec 2008

here's the news video about Moko the dolphin: Scoop: Moko the dolphin provides summer fun for beachgoers

Chlidonias · 4 Apr 2009

more news on the Marineland story

from yesterday's news...
Marineland may get sea-view restaurant | Stuff.co.nz

A resturant on top of Marineland's grandstand is the latest idea to help save the attraction.

The proposal comes from Wellington company 3D Creative, whose concept for a revitalised Marineland is being studied by Napier City Council as it grapples with the future of the tourist attraction without its performing dolphins.

Its remaining dolphin died last year and attendances have dwindled since then.

"The restaurant would look out over the ocean and towards Cape Kidnappers," 3D Creative managing director Craig Turvey said.

"I think it would be the only restaurant in Napier with a good sea view."

Mr Turvey's company presented its original concept to the council in 2006. Key features included underwater windows into the main pool and a landscaped, more natural look for the rundown complex.

Now Mr Turvey has refined the plans, adding a restaurant, after studying public submissions made during the council's consultation process.

The restaurant a space that could also be used for other purposes is the most significant addition to the proposal.

Another new idea is a raised pool for penguins, which are likely to become a feature attraction at the marine zoo if it survives.

Mr Turvey also proposes big windows in the seaward wall, so that people at Marineland can look out to sea, and a telescope by the gannet enclosure pointing toward the gannet colonies at Cape Kidnappers.

Originally he estimated the revamp would cost $4 million. Now he is working with quantity surveyors to get a more accurate figure.

"The cost of building this from the ground up would be astronomical, but we are making use of existing infrastructure," he said.

"We are budget-minded. It doesn't need to cost Napier ratepayers a lot there are great opportunities to work with sponsors and partners."

The revised proposals will be sent to the council next week.

3D Creative has also worked on a museum in New Plymouth, a Maori arts and crafts centre in Rotorua and a visitor centre at Franz Josef Glacier.
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