The welfare challenges of keeping dolphins in marine parks and aquariums, and the ongoing scientific and ethical debate about captive cetacean programs.
Captive dolphin welfare presents one of the most philosophically contested questions in zoo animal ethics. These animals have vast wild ranges, complex social lives, sophisticated cognition, and demonstrable emotional complexity — characteristics that make enclosure in even large pools a profound compromise. The case for captivity rests primarily on education value and conservation arguments, but both claims are contested. What is not contested is that if captive dolphin programs are to continue, they must meet the highest possible welfare standards — eliminating physical punishment training methods, maximizing social complexity, providing extensive environmental enrichment, and transitioning toward sea pen facilities where feasible.