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Austin, and San Antonio (for which he The Covino Family was sent back to prison in February SeaQuest (multiple locations), San Antonio 2016). Then he was involved in the Aquarium, and Austin Aquarium opening of SeaQuest aquariums in Utah and Nevada (for which he went back to prison again in November 2016). Members of the Covino family—namely Documentation is available upon brothers Vince and Ammon—have been request. involved in opening a number of aquariums nationwide, including the June 3, 2021/SeaQuest, Littleton, following: Colorado: The USDA issued a critical repeat citation to SeaQuest for failing to 2016—SeaQuest, first location, with provide a means for a wallaby named Ben multiple locations following to climb out of an aquarium tank safely at 2014—San Antonio Aquarium in the back of his enclosure. As a result, he Texas drowned. The incident happened after the 2013—Austin Aquarium in Texas facility closed for the evening on September 2012—Portland Aquarium in Oregon 16, 2020, and Ben was found dead in the (closed in 2016) tank the next morning. While the wallabies 2011—Idaho Aquarium (Covino had access to the aquarium tank, at the involvement ended in 2014. It is time, it had no climbing structures on the currently operating as Aquarium of inside to allow an animal to climb out safely. Boise.) SeaQuest also received a citation for failing Since the first Covino aquarium opened, to store food and bedding in a manner that hundreds of animals have died either at would protect it from contamination, the facilities or during transport, deterioration, and mold. An open bag and including over 200 in a three-month another, ripped bag of bedding were in the period at the now-defunct Portland main guest area, to which the public had Aquarium. A total of 250 trout died in access. In the food preparation area, there transport to SeaQuest Littleton in was an open bag of Timothy biscuits for the Colorado. In addition, dozens of people two guinea pigs that wasn’t stored have reported injuries sustained by appropriately to protect it from deterioration direct contact with wildlife at multiple and contamination. SeaQuest locations. April 15, 2021/SeaQuest, Folsom, Ammon Covino was sentenced in federal California: According to a Facebook review court to more than a year in prison after with photos, a toddler’s hand was badly pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bitten by an arowana fish. illegal wildlife trafficking in 2013. He was sent back to prison twice in 2016 after March 25, 2021/SeaQuest, Trumbull, violating his parole—which prohibited Connecticut: The USDA cited SeaQuest any activity involving the exhibition, for failing to handle otters in a manner that purchase, or sale of fish or wildlife. did not cause them trauma, physical harm, Despite being legally prohibited from or unnecessary discomfort. In June 2020, doing so, Ammon was involved with the an employee hit otters with a metal food operations of the aquariums in Portland, bowl when the animals jumped on and {00339068 3} The Covino Family around the employee, who was performing along the bottom, indicating that it couldn’t assigned husbandry duties. It was also cited be cleaned adequately) and the for failing to have an effective barrier around cinderblocks. the otters during a public feeding, which resulted in an incident in which a small child Finally, the USDA cited SeaQuest for failing was bitten in July 2020. Similarly, the to clean the area surrounding the Bengal capybara enclosure was kept unlocked and cat enclosure and failing to maintain unattended, allowing a member of the public complete records of animal acquisitions and to enter the enclosure. dispositions. These records did document that an otter had died and seven had been SeaQuest was also cited for storing food shipped off to other facilities and that the and bedding directly on the floor, which whereabouts of two capybaras who should could get wet and contaminate the supplies, have been at the facility were unknown. since aquatic tanks and equipment were in the same area. A citation was also issued November 4, 2020/San Antonio for failing to have complete Aquarium, San Antonio, Texas: The acquisition/disposition records for goats, USDA cited the San Antonio Aquarium for hedgehogs, and Bengal cats. failing to keep the painted shelter box for a woodchuck in good repair. The sides and February 3, 2021/SeaQuest, Fort Worth, entrance had been chewed, creating a Texas: The USDA cited SeaQuest for rough wood surface that posed an injury risk failing to have a sufficient barrier around the to the animal. capybara enclosure after a child, who was able to reach over the side of the enclosure, August 21, 2020/SeaQuest, Las Vegas, was bitten by an adult capybara, causing Nevada: The USDA cited SeaQuest for the child’s hand to bleed. It was also cited failing to have acquisition forms and for failing to have appropriate barriers appropriate identification for three Bengal protecting two adult Kunekune pigs and a cats. rabbit from unmonitored public contact and for not fully monitoring an “animal July 30, 2020/SeaQuest, Las Vegas, encounter” during which a member of the Nevada: Flash, a 1-year-old two-toed sloth, public attempted to pet a sloth when the died after suffering from intermittent attendant’s back was turned, resulting in the twitching, weakness, and inappetence for a sloth biting the guest. month from an undetermined cause. Various medical treatments were tried and SeaQuest was also cited for failing to subsequently failed. Flash was noted to be provide safe enclosures for animals. A sloth thin at the time of his death. was being housed in an enclosure with sheetrock walls with peeling rubber trim. March 21, 2020/San Antonio Aquarium, “Sheetrock is not an appropriate material for San Antonio, Texas: The San Antonio animal enclosures” because it “can be Aquarium was shut down by police after the easily scratched and gouged by an animal owner refused to close. The Leon Valley and cannot be adequately cleaned and Police Department had advised the facility disinfected.” The off-exhibit area for the on March 18 that it could not open to the small-clawed otter had a rotting wall, public in light of the emergency declaration exposed insulation, and a gap large enough by the state that nonessential for an otter‘s arm or leg to go through establishments should close their doors between the plywood door (which had mold because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Covino Family The aquarium’s manager was given a Gus, resulting in bites to a visitor and an citation and ordered to close the facility employee. immediately after police arrived on March 21. Officers returned an hour later and October 22, 2019/SeaQuest, Littleton, found that there were still people at the Colorado: The USDA cited SeaQuest for aquarium and that it was "operating as if housing two rabbits with a toucan, which there was no emergency declaration in could cause the rabbits stress and spread place," according to Chief of Police Joseph disease and contamination. The facility was Salvaggio. A second citation was issued, also cited for failing to maintain in good and visitors and nonessential employees repair an enclosure holding two wallabies. were removed by police. The back wall had two holes exposing drywall, which could be a health hazard if January 13, 2020/SeaQuest, Layton, ingested by the animals. Utah: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued SeaQuest a critical repeat September 7, 2019/SeaQuest, Las Vegas, citation for allowing public interactions with Nevada: Chip, an 8-month-old small-clawed Gus, a South American coatimundi, without otter, bit an employee on the wrist. The adequate barriers or direct control of him. A animal was placed in quarantine for 10 guest and an employee were bitten by Gus days. during a public interaction session. Two coatimundis were allowed free physical August 26, 2019/SeaQuest, Layton, Utah: contact with seated guests within the An otter bit a patron’s index finger while enclosure. being fed. The animal was quarantined for 10 days because of possible rabies January 3, 2020/SeaQuest, Las Vegas, exposure. Nevada: An employee was bitten by Chip, a small-clawed otter, during a presentation. July 25, 2019/SeaQuest, Littleton, Chip was quarantined for 10 days because Colorado: The USDA cited SeaQuest for of the risk of rabies exposure. This was his failing to have acquisition records for second attack. (See the September 7, 2019, several animals and failing to have records entry.) pertaining to a sloth, two capybaras, and two Asian small-clawed otters who were no November 26, 2019/SeaQuest, Layton, longer at the facility. Utah: Vince Covino’s father was bitten on the hand by an otter. The animal was July 22, 2019/San Antonio Aquarium, placed in quarantine for 11 days. San Antonio, Texas: The USDA cited the San Antonio Aquarium for failing to have an On the same day, an employee was bitten effective barrier for an exhibit holding an by a coatimundi at this location. armadillo and an African crested porcupine. The inspector was able to “reach over the November 21, 2019/SeaQuest, Layton, door and touch the [porcupine]” easily. Utah: The USDA cited SeaQuest for failing to handle Gus, a South American June 25, 2019/Austin Aquarium, Austin, coatimundi, in a manner that would Texas: A lawsuit was filed by the parents of minimize risk to the public and the animal. a 10-year-old girl who was allegedly bitten The facility allowed public interactions by a lemur. The lawsuit alleges that the without adequate barriers or direct control of aquarium initially told the parents that the lemur was vaccinated but later informed The Covino Family them that this was not the case, leading to April 3, 2019/SeaQuest, Las Vegas, thousands of dollars in medical expenses.

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