BACKGROUND
Whipsnade dolphin exhibit was constructed in 1972 as The Water Mammal Exhibit and displayed bottle-nosed dolphins. It was designed by the then curator veterinarian Victor Manton. The original concept was that the exhibit would first be an experimental facility that would later be expanded with the aims of a dolphin research and breeding center.
After the publication of the Dolphinaria Review - which recommended new pool parameters - Whipsnade decided not to invest in extending this facility to meet the new criteria. Therefore, the last two dolphins remaining at Whipsnade were sent in 1988 to other facilities: Lady was sent to Morecambe's Marineland to join their loan dolphin Rocky; Samson was sent to a zoological collection in Barcelona, Spain.
The Water Mammal Exhibit was then used to display California sea lions.
In 2020 the building was considered too expensive to continue to maintain and the site was planned for redevelopment. The sea lions were rehomed to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park in March 2021.
A Review of Dolphinaria states:
Pools: A: roughly boomerang-shaped outdoor pool; max. length 19.0 m, max. width 5.0 m, 3.4 m deep. B: trapezium-shaped indoor pool; max. length 13.0 m, max. width 5.0 m, 3.4 m deep. C: rectangular indoor isolation pool with stranding shelf; 6.0 x 4.8 m; shelf 4.8 m x 2.0 m x 1.0 m deep, rest 2.5 m deep. Surface areas approx. 95, 65, 20 m2 ; total 180 m2 All pools can be operated and drained separately. Partly indoor, salt mix water.The Society has always exhibited a wide range of species and in the early 1970's it was decided that a representative of the Order Cetacea would enhance the educational value of their collection. A small unit was opened in May 1972, after extensive consultations with other establishments to determine the requirements for 'best practice' of the day. It was intended to be the beginning of a complex showing members of the Order (Manton, 1974), but no further development of the exhibit had been carried out by the end of 1985.
PHOTOGRAPHS
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| November 1977 |
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| Photographs taken in the last months of operation prior to the sea lions being moved to a new home and the building being subject to redevelopment. |
RESEARCH
Manton,
V. J. A. 1974. Some experiences with gas chlorination. Aquatic Mammals
20 ): 1-7.
Manton, V. J. A. 1975. Vitamin requirements of dolphins. Aquatic Mammals 3(2): 1-4.