National Marine Life Center Seeks Expansion to Care for Dolphins and Whales

COURTESY NATIONAL MARINE LIFE CENTER
Kathy Zagzebski, president and executive director of the National Marine Life Center.

BOURNE – The National Marine Life Center in Bourne has a new strategic plan that includes adding space for the rehabilitation of dolphins and small whales.

The center unveiled its three part plan recently which will seek ways to improve operational stability, improve its rehabilitation programs and launch capital efforts which include the expanded space.

“Our new plan is to finish out the facility and expand so that we also have facilities for dolphins, porpoises and small whales in addition to more space for sea turtles and seals,” said Kathy Zagzebski, the center’s executive director.

Zagzebski said the center is constantly asked to take in animals.

“There are more animals in need of our help than we have space for,” she said.

She said there is currently no facilities in New England that can house dolphins, porpoises or small whales.

“Because Cape Cod is a stranding hot spot, more dolphins strand here than anywhere else in the United States, it makes sense to build a dolphin rehabilitation hospital right here,” Zagzebski said.