Animal rights group alleges Geoje Sea World caused untimely dolphin death

Dolphins perform during a show at Geoje Sea World in South Gyeongsang. [HOT PINK DOLPHINS]

The sudden death of Nova, the bottlenose dolphin, has put Geoje Sea World under scrutiny. Geoje Sea World, a dolphin theme park located in South Gyeongsang, has faced allegations raised by an animal rights group that it forced Nova to perform under medication until her untimely death in February.

A press conference condemning Geoje Sea World was held on Wednesday by animal activist group Hot Pink Dolphins, Sunmisan School students and independent lawmaker Yoon Mee-hyang.

According to Hot Pink Dolphins, Nova was suffering from an intestinal disease and sometimes displayed abnormal behaviors. The dolphin refused to perform in February.

Still, the dolphin was forced to perform in front of an audience until her last show on Feb. 24, just four days before she died.

She died on Feb. 28, at the age of 14, which is quite young considering that bottlenose dolphins generally live up to 30.

The cause of her death is told to be from a shock due to volvulus, which is when the intestine twists itself causing blockage within the bowel.

Another bottlenose dolphin at the same theme park, named Jully, also died on Feb. 25, mere days before Nova’s death.

She died at the age of 18, which is also a premature death for the species.

Jully’s cause of death was found to be sepsis caused by intestinal bacteria.

Animal activists claimed that Jully also experienced animal abuse like Nova.

Since opening, 14 dolphins have died at the theme park, according to Hot Pink Dolphins.

The animal activist group claimed that the park caused the dolphin's death by forcing them to perform while receiving treatment.

It added that the autopsy report, medical records and the dolphin show records, which Rep. Yoon’s office obtained, support its claim.

According to Nova's autopsy report by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, the dolphin had a cut at the end of her rostrum, or beak, after she hit herself against her water tank.

The animal activist group claims that Nova showed abnormal behaviors, such as hitting her head on her water tank, due to stress.

The animal activist added that Nova suffered from colorectal diseases, such as diarrhea, since last December.

In February, the dolphin started to vomit and have diarrhea. She was treated by a veterinarian, but was unable to fully recover as she was still expected to perform, the activist group said.

“The two deaths of the bottlenose dolphins in February show that it is clear that Geoje Sea World conducted animal abuse that led to their deaths,” Cho Yak-gol, the co-head of Hot Pink Dolphins, said during the press conference. “The South Gyeongsang provincial government, which has the authority to take administrative measures, should take immediate action to suspend its business and revoke its aquarium permit.”

BY HA SU-YOUNG, KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]