Key Largo Facility Welcomes Six Miami Seaquarium Dolphins, Seeks Volunteers

Ripley spent 32 years entertaining visitors at the Miami Seaquarium on Virginia Key. Now the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin lives in a 9,000-square-foot natural saltwater lagoon off mile marker 100 in Key Largo, one of six former Seaquarium residents that Dolphin Life took in after the landmark South Florida attraction closed in October 2025 following about 70 years in operation.

The not-for-profit facility received its first four dolphins, Aries, Onyx, Ripley and Zo, on December 6, 2025, in what was the first marine mammal transport out of the Miami facility following its bankruptcy proceedings. All four were born at the Seaquarium: Aries is 23, Onyx is 26, Ripley is 32 and Zo is 19. They were loaded onto stretchers, placed into transport boxes filled with water and driven south in a refrigerated truck. When Dolphin Life was contacted about taking them in, President Nancy Cooper did not hesitate. "We said, 'Absolutely,'" Cooper said. Within days of arrival, the bonded pod was already interacting with trainers and flipping in the water of their new lagoon.

"We fell in love with them immediately. They're the most handsome boys on the planet," Cooper said.

Three weeks later, Dolphin Life took on two more dolphins whose initial placement options had fallen through. Skye, a 28-year-old female, and Ringo, a 15-year-old male, arrived on December 31, 2025, completing the six-dolphin intake from a facility that had housed 16 bottlenose dolphins in need of new homes after its closure.

The six join six other bottlenose dolphins already living at Dolphin Life, animals that, like the new arrivals, cannot be released into the wild under federal law because they have spent most or all of their lives in captivity. The lagoon abuts a canal that flows with two tides daily from the ocean and bay, giving the dolphins a natural tidal environment even within a managed facility.

Staff say the transition has gone well. "As soon as they got here, they started adapting and they're doing amazing," said Hunter Kinney, director of zoological operations. The animals have been socializing, forming new bonds and participating in enrichment and human playtimes. Kinney said the four original arrivals will eventually be incorporated into guest programming, but on their own timeline. "For dolphins, positive interaction and play are an important part of good welfare," Kinney said. "When done thoughtfully, these moments with guests become enriching, stimulating, and genuinely fun for the animals."

Cooper described the facility's mission in plain terms: "Dolphin Life was built to be a safe harbor for dolphins in need and a place where people can fall in love with the ocean all over again. We are honored to give them the stability, social support and purpose-filled home they deserve."

The rapid expansion has strained operations. Volunteer coordinator Amanda Daniels said the surge in public interest, while welcome, has created real pressure on staff. "We've seen a huge increase in guests who want to learn about these animals and support them during their transition," Daniels said. "It's amazing to see that curiosity and compassion, but it also means our team is pulled in many different directions."

Dolphin Life is actively recruiting volunteers, welcoming community members, ocean advocates, students, retirees and anyone with a passion for animals or conservation. Interested volunteers can sign up at dolphinlife.org/volunteer. Financial support for the dolphins' food, veterinary care and habitat needs can be directed to dolphinlife.org/miami.