Contact:
Lisa Wathne 757-622-7382

Las Vegas - This morning, PETA sent an urgent letter to Dr. Robert Gibbens of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) animal care division urging him to launch an investigation into the death of a dolphin at The Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. According to a whistleblower, a dolphin named Sage was found dead at the bottom of a pool at The Mirage's Dolphin Habitat exhibit. PETA is calling for a necropsy to be performed on Sage in order to determine if any negligence on the part of The Mirage led to the animal's death.

At least 12 dolphins have reportedly died at The Mirage since 1990 from causes including pancreatitis, pulmonary abscess, respiratory problems, and pneumonia. In order to settle charges that it allegedly violated the federal Animal Welfare Act, The Mirage agreed in 2005 to make changes in the care that it provides to dolphins at the exhibit.

In their natural habitats, dolphins swim together in family pods, and they travel up to 100 miles each day. Dolphins navigate by bouncing sonar waves off objects to determine location and distance, but in captivity, the reverberations from their own sonar bouncing off pool walls drives some dolphins insane, according to renowned oceanographer Jacques Cousteau. Cousteau became opposed to keeping dolphins and other marine mammals in captivity after witnessing one captive dolphin deliberately slam his head against the side of the tank until he died.

"The Mirage is gambling with dolphins' lives, and the dolphins always lose," says PETA Director Debbie Leahy. "Dolphins and deserts don't mix. In the wild, dolphins swim hundreds of miles. In Las Vegas, their 'habitat' is measured in gallons instead of fathoms."

For more information about PETA's work, please visit PETA.org.

PETA's letter to Dr. Robert Gibbens of the USDA follows.

July 8, 2008

Robert M. Gibbens, D.V.M.
Director, Western Region
USDA, APHIS, Animal Care
2150 Centre Ave.
Bldg. B, MS 3W11
Fort Collins, CO 80526

Dear Dr. Gibbens:

Please consider this letter an official request for the USDA to investigate the following incident concerning Mirage Resorts, Inc., dba The Mirage Hotel and Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada, license #88-C-0074.

PETA has been contacted by a whistleblower who alleges that on Saturday morning, July 5, a dolphin named Sage was found dead at the bottom of the pool at The Mirage's Dolphin Habitat exhibit.

We ask you to please thoroughly investigate the circumstances of the dolphin's death and ensure that a necropsy is conducted to determine the cause of death. Please also investigate whether Sage's death might have been caused by The Mirage's failure to adhere to the changes in dolphin care as agreed to in the December 2005 settlement agreement entered into by The Mirage and the USDA.

Please pursue strict enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) in this matter and file appropriate charges if it is determined that The Mirage has violated the AWA.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Lisa Wathne
Captive Exotic Animal Specialist