Six of the nine dolphins living at the now-shuttered Dolphin Discovery installations, located within the former Ventura Park in Cancún, Quintana Roo, are considered candidates to begin a preparation process for a possible relocation, according to a report by the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa).
The move comes amid concerns about the health and safety of the animals, which remain under the care of Mexico’s environmental authority following the closure of the dolphinarium in October last year after videos surfaced of the dolphins displaying extreme distress.
Profepa stated that the nine dolphins – two females and seven males – are in delicate clinical condition, meaning their transfer cannot be immediate and each animal will require an individual protocol.
Since May, Profepa has been working to medically stabilize the dolphins through veterinary checkups, laboratory tests and monitoring of their behavior, feeding and response to treatment, the agency told Mongabay.
However, activist groups in defense of animal rights, including Veeleaf and Tide Breakers, have shared images and videos criticizing the care of the nine dolphins that remain in captivity. Reportedly, the dolphins are in small pools where they can barely move, are fed smaller portions of food than required and spend all their time in the sun, with no shade.
The future of these dolphins is tied to a reform that sought to transform the operations of dolphinariums in Mexico.
In July 2025, the Mexican Senate unanimously approved a nationwide ban on dolphin and other marine mammal shows, as well as the breeding of marine mammals in captivity except for conservation purposes.
The new regulations mandate the transfer of cetaceans to marine pens, or fenced-off ocean enclosures that slowly reintroduce the dolphins to their natural habitat, and limit interactions with those already under human care, prohibiting practices that could compromise their well-being.
However, the regulations needed to establish the application criteria have not been published yet; hence, the nine dolphins remain in the same pools where they have spent a good part of their lives.
The organization Empty the Tanks is demanding that the dolphins be temporarily transferred to existing marine pools at the Dolphin Discovery facilities in Isla Mujeres and Chankanaab, Cozumel. “We are not asking that they be released into the ocean. We are asking for a responsible, feasible measure backed by scientific evidence: that they be allowed to live in a much more natural environment while receiving the care they need,” the organization said in a statement.
According to a statement by Profepa, “All the decisions that have been made aim to ensure the best possible well-being of the dolphins, to help them survive in the best way possible and to alleviate their suffering.”
“We know that moving them to a semi-open enclosure at sea would be an improvement, but first we must guarantee that this move does not cost them their lives,” the statement continues.
