dolphin

For many nature enthusiasts, few scenes are as distressing as finding a stranded whale or dolphin lying helpless on the beach.

The 20-strong crew’s only outside company were pods of dolphins and killer whales, stray icebergs and the northern lights dancing across the night sky.

But behind the aquatic-themed roller coasters and dolphin performances was a dark history of documented mistreatment of animals and lingering financial problems.

Add “therapists who help patients through dolphin encounters” to the federal bureaucracy’s list of societal outlaws.

Thompson denied its export permit, saying the strengthening of fisheries legislation in 2019 that made it illegal to use whales and dolphins for entertainment prohibited the move.