‘Duchess,’ A single of the Mirage’s Authentic Bottlenose Dolphins, Dies
Posted on: January 27, 2023, 09:37h. 
Last updated on: January 27, 2023, 09:54h.
Duchess, who was one of the original bottlenose dolphins at the Mirage, has died. She was 48.
Duchess very first was positioned in the Las Vegas Strip casino’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat in 1990. Challenging Rock Worldwide on Wednesday confirmed the dolphin’s passing. Details on her health care condition have been not announced.
According to a statement from Mirage President Joe Lupo, Duchess was 48 years old and one of the five original dolphins that opened the Habitat in 1990.
I extend my heartfelt appreciation to the Mirage animal care staff and the veterinary authorities who worked tirelessly to make certain Duchess was loved, received the highest-good quality care, and was as comfy as achievable,” Lupo was quoted by KVVU, a neighborhood Tv station.
Lupo recalled how Duchess “brought an unmeasurable quantity of joy and happiness to the countless site visitors and The Mirage household even though at the Dolphin Habitat.”
Secret Garden Completely Closed
In November, it was announced that Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat was permanently closing. The closure came as ownership of the residence went from MGM Resorts Global to the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The tribe owns the Hard Rock Global brand.
The gaming property is undergoing comprehensive renovations amongst now and 2025.
The property announced final yr the attraction’s dolphins, white tigers, white lions, and leopards have been to be cared for by “well-skilled, hugely respected animal care pros and veterinary professionals.”
The Secret Garden temporarily closed after the September death of one of the other dolphins, K2, who was eleven many years outdated. The cause of death was suspected respiratory illness.
Two other dolphins at the attraction died earlier last year. 1 had a respiratory sickness and the other had a gastrointestinal disorder.
Given that it first opened in 1990, 14 dolphins died from a assortment of triggers and at distinct ages at the popular Mirage attraction. Animal rights activists declare the number of dolphins that died at the Mirage was really increased.
Animal Rights Activists’ Worries
News about September’s closure was applauded by the animal rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment method of Animals (PETA).
“Big cats belong in the jungle, not behind bars in a casino sideshow, and a desert is no area for a dolphin,” Brittany Peet, basic counsel for captive animal law enforcement for the PETA basis, said in a statement.
PETA is encouraging Hard Rock to usher in its new animal-free era by obtaining respected new homes for the massive cats and doing work to get the dolphins to a seaside sanctuary exactly where they could have much more organic lives in spacious habitats, far from the lights and noise of the Strip,” last year’s statement stated.
It was unclear as to in which the animals were heading following the attraction’s closure.
A bottlenose dolphin typically lives about 28 or 29 years, the Las Vegas Assessment-Journal reported, citing data from the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. Other information propose they may have life expectancies of between 40 and 60 years.