Dolphins in marine parks and aquariums face welfare challenges rooted in the mismatch between their complex natural lives and the constraints of captive environments.
Captive dolphin welfare is contested between those who argue modern facilities provide appropriate care and those who maintain that cetaceans cannot be adequately housed in tanks regardless of size. The scientific evidence supports significant welfare concerns: stereotypic behaviors, shortened lifespans compared to wild counterparts, stress-related health conditions, and social instability in managed groups. Training using food restriction raises additional welfare questions. The trend toward ending cetacean captivity for entertainment in progressive jurisdictions reflects a growing consensus that the welfare costs exceed the educational and conservation benefits claimed.