Bottlenose dolphins in captivity face profound welfare challenges related to space, social complexity, and cognitive stimulation compared to their wild counterparts.
Captivity fundamentally constrains the natural behavioural repertoire of bottlenose dolphins. Limited space prevents the high-speed swimming and deep diving that characterise wild behaviour. Social groups in facilities are typically small, fixed, and sometimes incompatible, creating chronic stress. Echolocation in hard-walled tanks creates acoustic environments very different from open ocean. Enrichment programmes can mitigate but not fully compensate for these deficits. Welfare assessment tools are increasingly used in facilities to identify and address problems.