Fury as eight dolphins are 'left to die in abandoned Bahamas sea resort once popular with tourists' - as race against time is on to save five still stuck there

Dolphins at a once-popular Bahamas tourist attraction have reportedly been abandoned and left to starve after the facility shut down during the pandemic.

Eight dolphins have died and five remain deserted and starving at Blackbeard Cay, on Balmoral Island in Nassau, Bahamas, according to Ric O'Barry's Dolphin Project.

The non-profit said from 2018 to present day eight out of a total of 13 dolphins have died at the facility. Five of which died in 2023 alone and at least three are said to be caused by starvation.

O'Barry said he visited the desolate facility and noted the surviving dolphins looked underweight and appeared to be suffering from malnutrition and dehydration.

'The five survivors are in a world of trouble from everything I have seen. From critical food (and water) deprivation to lack of critically needed shade, and electricity, from potential hazards within the dolphins' enclosures to lack of proper medical care, it would be more appropriate to state that survivors are living a nightmare,' O'Barry said.

Eight dolphins have died and five remain deserted and starving at Blackbeard Cay, on Balmoral Island in Nassau, Bahamas, according to Ric O'Barry's Dolphin Project

O'Barry said he visited the desolate facility and noted the surviving dolphins looked underweight and appeared to be suffering from malnutrition and dehydration

O'Barry met with the one remaining caretaker at the facility, Luis Arturo Hernandez, who confirmed the desolate conditions

He said there is a lack of electricity and running water on the property and noted a small generator on-site hasn't been working for the past six months.

A lack of electricity means the facility does not have the ability to keep the dolphin's food frozen and captured photos of semi-frozen open boxes of fish sitting in a freezer with no power.

O'Barry met with the one remaining caretaker at the facility, Luis Arturo Hernandez, who confirmed the desolate conditions.

'He's been with these dolphins for eight years… He has no electricity whatsoever, he's like a homeless guy living on the island,' O'Barry told Yahoo News.

'I was shocked. It's so beautiful out there on the island, the water is gin-clear. But that doesn't work in their favor because the water is too shallow and in the summer time it heats up. They really suffer.'

In 2013, eight dolphins were imported from Honduras to the tourist attraction and produced five offspring at the facility.

Environmental activist Sam Duncombe sued the government to get the dolphins moved to a safer location away from tourist and hurricane exposure, yet no changes were made.

According to the Dolphin Project, Duncombe met with the Bahamian government to express her concerns regarding the conditions and offered that the non-profit would fund recovery measures.

He said there is a lack of electricity and running water on the property and said it looked in a state of disarray 

Semi-frozen open boxes of fish were photographed sitting in a freezer with no power on the facility

'The government of the Bahamas has a unique opportunity to "get ahead" of the horrifying and heartbreaking reality surrounding the deaths of one of the world's most beloved animals,' Duncombe said.

'This is a chance to take decisive action and demonstrate commitment to upholding animal welfare standards, thereby restoring trust and goodwill both locally and internationally.'

However, the organization said when Duncombe attempted to follow up with the government, they seized communication.

'We have offered to buy them fish and get them first aid – they need veterinarians,' O'Barry said.

'I first went there on March 31, and I didn't want to blow the whistle on them. I wanted to give them every benefit to do the right thing. And they just ignored us hoping we would go away. And now, here we are.'

DailyMail.com has reached out to the Bahamas Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources who had no information on the matter and the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism for comment.