@TinoPup Well, given the fact that a site has not been officially chosen (publicly announced that is), the exhibit needed something more than the old small displays that described the sanctuary as an after thought. This way, there's an overall theme that reflects a number of things: 1) there are no dolphin shows; 2) guests can observe and watch the dolphin's natural behaviors through enrichment, their natural social structure, and training sessions; 3) guests should be prepared and understand that a seaside sanctuary is the ultimate goal for these dolphins.
Based on preliminary feedback from guests, they are quite supportive of the sanctuary measure and the elimination of the dolphin shows. While shows haven't been around for over 10 years now, many guest are still in the old, conditioned mindset of "when are the dolphin shows?" So the new displays hope to change visitors expectations that this isn't a Sea World show and you should expect a much more subdued, natural display of behaviors and atmosphere. That's the goal at least.
It will be some time still before these dolphins are moved, so the place needed a refresh which most recently occured in 2011 when the dolphin exhibit was rebranded as Dolphin Discovery.
@NAIB Volunteer They've definitely had some sort of show more recently than 10 years ago. Do you think people were understanding these signs better? On my visit earlier this year, even though there were signs saying no shows, people were still checking their watches/phones and heading to the stadium seats to get there "on time", even though there was no time given.
@TinoPup The Marine Mammal staff will still do training sessions where folks may obverse flips or waving or what have you, but there's been no ticketed, scheduled dolphin show since before the deaths of Mia and Spirit's calf's in 2011.
Honestly, it's been a bit haphazard at times with messaging - are they making the best use of the animals to educate the guests? I think early on post no dolphin show, I'd say probably not. It was still a show like atmosphere for a few years. Since then it's adapted into a more "exhibit" like atmosphere and I think with the new education materials, they've done a good job. Just goes to show how hard it can be for an institution with cetaceans to break the "show" mentality and move towards something different.
@NAIB Volunteer I've definitely seen some sort of show several years ago, but it was more natural-focused, yeah. It was scheduled, I think there were just a couple that day?, but I don't think there were tickets. It might not have been signed as scheduled, we might have been told the time by a keeper.
The main issue is the seats, I think. It is nice to be able to sit and watch them, but people see seats and think there's a show, whether one is going to happen or not.
@TinoPup There were semi-timed training sessions, but that ended up being the same thing as a dolphin show for visitors and guests would pulse through the buildings at the same time, so it wasn't executed well.
You're right about the seats. Hard to alter an amphitheater, but the initial exhibit softening and seat reduction attempted to do that.
