Law enforcement officials raided the Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach, Florida, after four dolphins died under mysterious circumstances. Operated by Mexico-based Dolphin Company, three bottlenose dolphins have died from various illnesses, while a fourth died during a live performance in front of park guests.

The raid came after Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials were prevented from inspecting the park. An activist group called Urgent Seas raised alarms about the facility’s deteriorating environment, many of their claims backed up by drone footage captured earlier this month.

The group argues that the pools in which the dolphins are housed are too small and have fallen into disrepair. They believe the dolphins need to be freed before more of them die.

Before the raid, Urgent Seas’ executive director, Phil Demers, said, “The conditions at Gulf World are among the worst we’ve ever observed. The sheer number of dead dolphins over such a short period of time is shocking and inexcusable, yet Gulf World continues to operate without repercussions. You can’t unsee those conditions once you’ve seen them.”

Urgent Seas’ concerns were echoed by reports from the US Department of Agriculture, which also found evidence of disrepair, including broken, rusty, and unmaintained pools, particularly the ones that housed the sea lions, and said that the park was overall too understaffed to “maintain the prescribed level of husbandry.”

Florida Attorney General James Uthmerier spoke out about the situation as well, writing on X (formerly Twitter), “While this investigation is in the beginning stages, we will not tolerate any animal abuse in Florida.”

Bottlenose dolphins can live 60 years or more in the wild (their lifespans are far shorter in captivity). Yet, a 14-year-old, a 15-year-old, and a 20-year-old all died in rapid succession, prompting the investigation.

The cause of death for all three was illnesses of some kind. Another death, this one involving a 14-year-old bottlenose dolphin named Jett, occurred when the dolphin misjudged a jump and crashed into a shallow part of the pool. Jett died of head trauma.