dolphins National Aquarium building protected ocean home for retired Their Own Space ln The Ocean

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1 National quarium building proteted oean home for retired dolphins y ssoiated Press, adapted by Newsela staff MlMl, Fla. Eight dolphins will soon be retired from the National - quarium in altimore, Maryland. fter a life in tanks, they will be moved to a proteted oean home. No other aquarium has done this before. quarium staff plan to move the dolphins to a safe seaside spae by the end of Many groups that help animals were happy about the news. "There's no model anywhere, that we're aware of, for this," John Raanelli told The ssoiated Press. He is in harge of the National quarium. Raanelli said he knows that the new plan will be diffiult and more expensive, but he thinks it is important. Their Own Spae ln The Oean The aquarium's tlanti bottlenose dolphins will not simply be released into open seas. They will be given their own losed-off spae in the oean. The size of the spae has not been released, but Raanelli said it will be measured in ares, not square feet - meaning it will be quite large.

2 The Florida Keys and the Caribbean are being onsidered as possible loations. The "sea pen" will have full-time workers and high-quality water. The dolphins will also have separate, smaller pools for getting treatment from vets or hiding from dangerous weather. Fenes will keep them from mingling with wild dolphins. Only the oldest dolphin in the group has ever swum in oean water. She is a female aptured in Six of the other dolphins were born at the aquarium and one was born at SeaWorld in Orlando. Ranging in age from 7 to 44, they stopped performing sheduled shows in 212. They still live in 25-year-old tanks. Keeping The nimals Happy nd Healthy Rananelli said that the aquarium staff has learned how to take better are of the dolphins over the years. They think that bringing the dolphins to the oean will help them be even healthier. Many other plaes are hanging the way they are for animals. Ringling ros. and arnum & ailey Cirus retired their elephants early, moving them to a nature refuge in Florida. SeaWorld reently stopped breeding oras, the animal they are known for. These plaes made their deisions after faing inreasing onern about the treatment of their animals. isagreement Over What ls est For The nimals Three animal advoay groups plan to make a safe seaside spae. They plan to have oras, beluga whales and dolphins live there. efore the altimore aquarium announed their plan, many people who took are of

3 dolphins were against the idea. They argued that sea pens an atually harm the animals. The National quarium is a member of a larger group alled the ssoiation of Zoos and quariums. The aquarium will also work with the government as it moves the dolphins. Humane Soiety CEO Wayne Paelle approves of Raanelli's plans. He says they show how plaes are more foused on the animals' well-being. SeaWorld will not be releasing any of their animals. They believe their animals are safest in their urrent tanks. Sea pens, the ompany said, would be dangerous for their animals. The ompany also argued that they help teah visitors about proteting wildlife. The National quarium's dolphins will still be ared for by humans in their new home. Raanelli said they will be ared for for the rest of their lives. Prie For The Sea Pen It is not ertain yet how muh the new sea pens will ost. lt depends on the prie of the land. ut taking are of the dolphins in sea pens should be less expensive. Oean water does not need to be ontrolled like aquarium water does. Raanelli is not sure if sientists or other guests will be able to visit. The aquarium has faed some diffiulties with money. Things were espeially bad when two baby dolphins died tn Then a new dolphin program was reated and the aquarium started harging more for tikets. They began making more money, though not as muh this year. QUIZ

4 1. Read the setion " Prie ForThe Sea Pen." Whih option is MOST likely true based on this setion? The aquarium will need to spend a lot of money on speial water for the sea pens. The aquarium will ask sientists to help pay the ost of the new sea pens. The aquarium needs to save money and hopes that the sea pens will not be expensive. The aquarium will sell more tikets one the dolphins are moved to sea pens. 2. Whih sentene from the setion "Keeping The nimals Happy nd Healthy" explains why many animal shows are making hanges? Rananelli said that the aquarium staff has learned how to take better are of the dolphins over the years. Ringling ros. and arnum & ailey Cirus retired their elephants early, moving them to a nature refuge in Florida. SeaWorld reently stopped breeding oras, the animal they are known for. These plaes made their deisions after faing inreasing onern about the treatment of their animals.

5 3. Whih detail EST reflets the main goal of the National quarium? The aquarium knows it will be expensive, but also thinks that it is important. The aquarium plans to give the dolphins a very large spae and high-quality are. The aquarium wants to influene other plaes to release their animals as well. The aquarium wants to reate a new dolphin program that harges more for tikets. 4. Whih of the following are two main ideas from the artile? Many people now believe releasing animals will make them healthier; SeaWorld reently stopped breeding oras. SeaWorld reently stopped breeding aquati animals; many people believe that moving the dolphins will keep them healthier. The National quarium is moving eight dolphins to an oean pen; the dolphins mainly grew up in aptivity in the aquarium. Many people believe releasing animals like dolphins will keep them healthier; the National quarium is moving eight dolphins to an oean pen. NSWER KEY

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