LETTER: A Mirage dolphin dies too young

How sad that Bella died at the Mirage Secret Garden Dolphin Habitat, especially considering how young she was (Review-Journal, April 16). It’s astonishing to think that her life was curtailed by more than 40 years.

History has shown us that marine mammals do not do well in captivity. Yet we continue to imprison them for the sake of public entertainment. We might enjoy them for an hour or so, but we get to go home afterward; they never get to leave their confines and artificial habitat.

Those of us who care about their well being are counting on Hard Rock Hotel officials to exhibit some compassion when they finally take over the Mirage by sending these beautiful creatures to sea pens where specialists can provide appropriate care and a better environment for them so they might live out the remainder of their (hopefully longer) lives in a real ocean. This gesture would signal that the new owners are in line with today’s more informed mindset about the use of animals in entertainment.