Mon August 25, 2003 09:54 PM ET

Mexico Shuts Criticized Park After Dolphin Death

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The Mexican government said on Monday it had closed an aquatic theme park in the resort of Cancun at the center of an international dispute over the trade in wild dolphins.

The environmental protection agency Profepa said in a statement the Parque Nizuc marine park had been shut down after the death of a dolphin at the weekend.

Environmentalists had criticized the park for importing 28 wild bottlenose dolphins from the Solomon Islands in July. Activists had said the wild mammals could infect local dolphins and other wildlife off the Yucatan peninsula with diseases.

The agency said in a statement that the closure was "partial and temporary" and could be lifted if the park kept the Solomon Islands dolphins confined and carried out a series of medical tests on all the animals there.

The dolphin that died had been at the park for five years and may have suffered from stress, the agency said. Officials at the park were not available for comment.