Dolphins in aquariums and marine parks face significant welfare challenges from limited space, simplified social structures, and the cognitive consequences of captivity for animals with large brains and complex natural lives.
Dolphins are among the most cognitively sophisticated animals on Earth, and the gap between their natural behavioral complexity and what captivity can provide is correspondingly vast. Wild dolphins engage in complex coordinated hunting, have individual names (signature whistles), form alliances, and navigate rich social landscapes. Captive dolphins circle pools of a tiny fraction of their natural range, interact with a handful of individuals, and perform behaviors for food rewards. The stereotypic patterns documented in captive dolphins reflect the behavioral consequences of this impoverishment. Swim-with-dolphin programs impose unwanted social contact on animals who cannot refuse participation - a fundamental violation of the consent principle that modern animal welfare ethics increasingly requires.