Catalina, a Pacific white-sided dolphin, has died. Her death was possibly caused by aggression Toki (Lolita), according to a Miami Herald article, but that hasn't been confirmed. SeaWorld took her back December 3rd to try and care for her, but she passed away sometime between the 4th and 9th.
Article (must sign up for a free account to read):
https://www.miamiherald.com/article256448916.html
Regarding the sale of the aquarium, “County commissioners approved in October the transfer of the Seaquarium’s lease to Cancun-based The Dolphin Company under an agreement to ensure investment in infrastructure and better care for marine animals at the park that has operated on county-owned land on Virginia Key since its opening in 1954. Miami-Dade receives about $2.5 million a year in rent from the park.
Commissioners voted to allow Festival Fun Parks, a subsidiary of Madrid-based Parques Reunidos, also known as Palace Entertainment, to sell the lease it has held since 2014 to the Mexican operator. But the deal can only be finalized after the Seaquarium addresses the critical violations that emerged from the USDA’s inspection in June and any enforcement actions that may emerge from the current investigation, Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department said.
‘The transaction can’t take place until all the USDA citations have been addressed. That’s a condition required by the Mayor and the Board for approval and execution of the lease transaction,” the county said. “The Dolphin Company understands and concurs with this requirement, and accordingly won’t take over operations at the Seaquarium until the improvements are completed by the current operator.’”
