Dolphins face welfare threats from drive hunt killing, captivity in marine parks, and bycatch in tuna and other fisheries. Their intelligence makes welfare concerns particularly acute.
The Taiji drive hunt involves herding dolphins into a cove by boat noise, selecting some for captivity (destined for marine parks globally), and slaughtering the rest. The killing method — metal rods driven into the spine — is intended to cause rapid death but is inconsistently effective, with some animals thrashing for extended periods. Captive dolphins face chronic welfare challenges from restricted movement, reduced social complexity, and loss of ecological function — despite often receiving good nutritional and veterinary care. Tuna purse seine encirclement of dolphin schools causes panic, injury, and drowning before nets are released. Cetacean intelligence and social complexity make these welfare harms ethically significant.