Dolphins in marine entertainment facilities suffer chronic welfare deficits that tank environments cannot address.
Dolphins are among the most cognitively and socially complex animals on Earth. They live in large, dynamic social groups, communicate in sophisticated ways, and range over vast distances. Tank environments — regardless of size — cannot replicate the cognitive and social stimulation of wild dolphin lives. Captive dolphins show stereotypic behaviors, social aggression from enforced group compositions, and shortened lifespans. The global trend toward banning captive dolphin breeding reflects growing scientific and public consensus.