200 Animals Die at Portland Aquarium: Did Creatures Suffer to Save Money? Humane Society Investigates

Scientists are plagued by what's caused over 200 marine animals at the Portland Aquarium to die from starvation, infection, high temperatures and animal-on-animal attacks in their own home, according to a detailed log.

The log's listed many casualties, ranging from bamboo sharks to dozens of other fish that were living in the aquarium, according to The Oregonian.

Spokeswoman with the Oregon Humane Society Barbara Baugnon who helps to enforce animal-safety has been investigating the problem in the nine-month-old aquarium, according to the news organization.

The aquarium allegedly went without regular veterinary services from the period of Feb. 18 to May 16, the time in which the death log was charted in order to detail ongoing problems with the wildlife living at the facility.

Veterinarian Mike Corcoran called the number of deaths seen at the acquarium excessive and said that he felt the animals killed were "subject to undue pain and suffering to save money," via the news organization.

Yet Corcoran wasn't the only one to observe the mistreatment of the animals at the aquarium. Marine biologist Carolyn Emch-Wei who is employed at the facility said she could no longer watch the mistreatment of the creatures.

"I left because there was a trend of mistreatment of the animals in ways that could be prevented," said the ex-employee, also speaking of the owners of the aquarium--the Covino family, who allegedly denied a comment with The Oregonian for their article. 

The Portland Aquarium soon linked a 2009 article via the "Advanced Aquarist" regarding marine mortality rates after Facebook comments hit the death log.

However, this isn't the first time the Convino's have been up to something fishy. In fact, just this past February,  Ammon Covino, the co-owner of the aquarium was charged with one count of conspiracy and four counts of unlawful sale and purchase of marine animals. He pled not guilty to the illegal purchases, according to the iScienceTimes.

However, Covino's nephew, Peter C. Covino IV, was found guilty of obstruction of justice when he purchased Florida animals after asking the business to destroy evidence that they were sold to his uncle and faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine. They're planning on opening an aquarium later this year in Texas, according to various reports.