Marineland - Morecambe: 1964 - 1990





BACKGROUND

Billed as Europe's first oceanarium Marineland this was the brain child of zoo-man Robert Jackson owner of the Welsh Mountain Zoo in Colwyn Bay North Wales in partnership with George Cansdale - former Superintendent at London Zoo and owner of Natureland Marine Zoo on Skegness sea-front. They setup Marineland with a company called Marineland Ltd and opened the aquarium in 1964. Unfortunately they had financial difficulties and were taken over by Morecambe Council a year or so later.

The council ran Marineland for a large part of it's early operational life. In 1977 the aquarium was acquired by Trident Television who at that time owned Windsor Safari Park. In 1983 it was bought Ocean World (Marine) Ltd. The aquarium last remaining dolphin 'Rocky' became part of the controversial Into The Blue project and was eventually release into the sea in the Caribbean in September 1991. His fate remains unknown.


Marineland closed in 1990 and was demolished in 1992 as part of a regeneration project for the Stone Jetty and seafront

A Review of Dolphinaria states:

Pools: A: 11.75 x 10.50 x 5.50 m; surface area 123 m2. B: 10.80 x 9.25 x 2.50 m; surface area 100 m2 Total surface area 223 m2 . Outdoor, natural sea water.
























 
 
GUIDE BOOK

Original cover  to 1964 Guide book
https://www.zooguides.org.uk/Morecambe/1964.htm
 
 
 
POSTCARDS
















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Video clip of Rocky the dolphin at Marineland Morecambe taken in summer 1990.







Reported from September 1988 from The Daily Telegraph and The Times of failed attempt of four animal rights activists to try and release Rocky the dolphin at Marineland in 1988.