Marineland, Napier, Marine mammal park in Napier, New Zealand
Marineland was a marine mammal park in Napier, New Zealand, designed in 1964 by an Auckland architectural firm for Napier City Council under mayor Peter Tait. It opened in 1965 after the capture of a common dolphin named Daphne. The site held pools and enclosures for dolphins, seals, sea lions and little penguins, and later added a grandstand and a Marine Education Centre.
The park opened in 1965 and operated for 43 years before closing in 2008 following the death of Kelly, its last resident dolphin. The loss of this well-known animal marked the end of an era for the popular attraction.
The name Marineland was used for a park whose animals were mostly rescued: many dolphins, seals and penguins arrived sick or injured, and others were bred from such animals. A breeding colony of little penguins was established from sick and injured birds. Birds kept over the years included Australasian gannets and a sulphur-crested cockatoo named Bobby.
Marineland stood on the Napier waterfront at the site later occupied by Bay Skate, the skatepark announced in September 2013. The park closed to the public in September 2008, so it can no longer be visited; the animals and staff moved to the National Aquarium of New Zealand, also in Napier.
The park introduced one of the world's first programs in 1992 that allowed visitors to swim directly with dolphins under controlled conditions. This offering was groundbreaking for its time and made Marineland a pioneer in interactive animal experiences.
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