Sunset Sam

First Dolphin to Become Permanent Resident at Clearwater  Science Center

This is the second issue in a series for this blog of information that I hope will bring an awareness of Clearwater Marine Aquarium that holds dolphins.

In 1984 Sunset Sam was the first stranded dolphin to be placed permanently at Clearwater Marine Science Center as it was called at that time. I have a copy of the Marine Mammal Inventory Report from the early 90’s that document Sunset Sam’s approximate birth year as 1979. The original plan was to release him but the powers that be at the Center claimed that there was damage to Sam’s eye and that he would be shark bait. Other veterinarians disagreed and wanted Sam released. At one time there was a campaign to free Sam but the Clearwater Center won out and stopped his release.

Dolphins have a special sense called echo-location that enables them to “see” even in the darkness. Sounds are projected into the water from their “melon” or forehead. These sounds bounce back as images through the lower jaw and into the inner ear which enable the dolphin to detect distance, speed, direction, density and even the internal structure of objects, much like an x-ray.

It seems inexcusable to hold a highly intelligent animal that exhibits no violence even through capture in a soundless small concrete tank.

I have been in the water with wild dolphins and listened and felt their sonar as they scanned my body, never getting close enough to be touched. To watch and hear them communicate with one another is thrilling. I watched one dolphin take a piece of seaweed and play tag with another dolphin. Then there is the moment you look into their eyes and know there is an intelligent being within. In an instant they are gone, swimming away with their family.

I can’t begin to imagine what Sunset Sam who had experienced all of this for five years of his life have all of this taken away and be placed in a barren, small, concrete tank with no life of any kind, no fish to chase and eat, no moving water, swimming in small circles rather than choosing how and where to swim for the rest of his 17 years of life.

Instead he was taught to do things that did not come naturally but would do for food (dead fish) and human contact which was the primary contact in his life. Doing silly things like holding a paint brush in front of a canvas, dabbing colors to make humans happy. Comments made that he was so happy. I tend to doubt this being he died at approximately the age of 22. 

 

                                     Times photo: Jim Damaske 2000

Dr.Randy Wells of Mote Marine in Sarasota, Florida who has been studying Bottlenose dolphins since 1970 says that he personally knows of dolphins that are in their 40s in Sarasota Bay.

Jennifer Semro

Next post in a few days