Lucky The Sea Turtle
A high roller throwing all sevens in Las Vegas couldn't get any luckier. When 325-pound loggerhead turtle, Lucky wandered into Blue Lagoon Island three months ago with multiple damages to her front flipper, it was only natural that Dolphin Encounters would come to her rescue. The facility has been helping the turtle recover from her injuries.
"After staying on her own for over a week we noticed that she was hurt. We couldn't in good conscience just release her back into the ocean. She would have been shark bait, said Annette Dempsey, assistant director of marine mammals at Dolphin Encounters. "There's no way she would have been able to ward off predators."
"This is why we decided to adopt her as a permanent member of our marine family. She will teach our guests how incredible sea turtles are and just how important it is that we protect them for the future - both theirs and ours."
Experts believe Lucky was attacked by several sharks. Although she is still capable of swimming, her ability to avoid predators is diminished and she can no longer migrate up a beach to lay eggs. But so far, the turtle has adapted well to life on Blue Lagoon Island.
"She's doing extremely well. She has a hearty appetite and she loves to swim around in the lagoon. She's a little shy, but when she does come up to surface, it's magic. The other dolphins love her and can't get enough of her. She's a part of the family now," said Ms. Dempsey. "We're also happy to report that her blood work came back fine and she's healthy as ever."
Lucky is estimated to be between 50 to 80-years-old. Since her debut back in May, Lucky has become an attraction unto herself with guests clamoring to get a glimpse of her.
Managing Director of Dolphin Encounters, Robert Meister said he's happy to have Lucky join the family and hopes that she will foster a greater appreciation for turtles.
"We hope that by having Lucky here we will gain a better understanding and appreciation for loggerhead turtles. They really are fascinating animals; there's so much to learn about them. We're extremely happy to provide her with a safe, all-natural home. She's in the best hands and will be well taken care of here," he said.
So far, the rest of the island's marine mammals have grown attached to having Lucky as a part of the family.
"Our dolphins adore her. They will swim around her and stare at her for the longest time because they're trying to figure her out. They know they've never seen her before and they want to know who this girl is that's taking all of their glory. She wasn't planned, but she is nonetheless welcome and so far she's adapting wonderfully to life on Blue Lagoon Island and our other animals love her," said Kim Terrell, director of marine mammals at Dolphin Encounters.
The loggerhead sea turtle is listed as endangered or threatened in all of its habitats around the world. They are also the most valuable of all reptiles. Over the years they have been killed for their skins, calipee, meat and shells. Exploitation has already caused extinction of populations in many parts of the Caribbean. In the Bahamas turtle meat is served in many restaurants and the home.
"We really have to change our mindset about turtles, and I know it's not going to happen overnight. There are a lot of Bahamians that eat turtle meat, especially on the Family Islands. But we really need to concern ourselves about preserving our resources. These animals won't be around forever if we continue at this rate," said Ms. Dempsey.
Animal trainers on Blue Lagoon Island have already begun training Lucky new behaviors and continue to monitor her progress.
Dolphin Encounters began in 1989 when two dolphins from a closed aquarium in Nassau were rescued and relocated to a large seawater facility on the Bahamian Family Island of Abaco. Soon after, six more dolphins joined and proved to be an immediate hit with the public. A few years later, a state-of-the-art marine park on Blue Lagoon Island was opened. In 1995, after a multi-million dollar expansion, the operation was renamed Dolphin Encounters. Today it is without question one of Nassau's premier tourist attractions, employing a highly trained and dedicated staff of 160.
The dolphin stars of the marine park are: Abaco, Andy, Auntie V, Cacique, Chippy, Dot, Goombay, Gussie Mae, Jake, Laguna, McGyver, Miss Merlin, Nina, Princess, Salvador, Shawn, Soca and Stormy. The sea lion stars are: Kalika, Magnolia, Murray, PJ, Torey and Xena. All of the dolphins are native to Bahamian waters and half of them were born at Blue Lagoon. Three of the dolphins were born to 40-year old Princess - one of the original dolphins rescued in Nassau.
All of the dolphins and sea lions are trained through a positive reinforcement system. This one-on-one coaching - one trainer to one dolphin/sea lion - not only helps the mammals perfect the behaviours that guests experience during their encounter, it also serves as exercise that stimulates them mentally and physically and allows them structured time for play, socialization and learning. Positive reinforcement is also used to encourage the dolphins to voluntarily participate in regular, medical exams, including daily spot checks of their eyes, mouth, blowhole, fins, body and tail.
Dolphin Encounters is a member of the International Marine Animal Trainers Association (IMATA), the largest organisation of its kind. In 1997, the facility was accepted into the prestigious Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA), and in 2004 became an accredited member of the group, cementing its status as one of the top marine parks in the world.
In 1996, Dolphin Encounters was chosen by Universal Studios to help produce the movie 'Flipper', starring Paul Hogan and Elijah Wood. Fatman, Jake and McGyver took turns playing the famous aquatic star. In 2001, they starred in Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen's movie, 'Holiday in the Sun.' The dolphins have also been featured in countless television, film and print media all over the world, and many international celebrities have swum with them at Blue Lagoon.
Like many of their dolphin friends, several of the sea lions are movie stars. Torey was thrust into the spotlight after playing the title role in the movie Andre and PJ also had parts in the movie. Both starred alongside another one of our sea lions, Murray in the movie Slappy and The Stinkers, and were also featured in an ad for Reynolds Wrap.
