Protestors Demand End to Dolphin Captivity at Barceló Hotel

On Saturday November 20, animal rights organizations, including Animal Heroes, PETA Latino, Marea, Dolphin Freedom, and Oceans of Free Life, gathered for a peaceful protest in front of the Barceló Reforma hotel in Mexico City.

The groups staged a pot-banging protest, demanding that the hotel chain stop exploiting dolphins as part of their tourist interaction packages at their Playa del Carmen location.

Barcelo’s Maya Grand Hotel, situated on the Riviera Maya near Playa del Carmen, houses one of the smallest dolphinariums in Mexico. This enclosure is a chlorinated pool where dolphins are constantly exposed to the sun, leading to skin and eye damage.

Activists argue that in the wild, dolphins swim hundreds of kilometers a day and dive to great depths, activities which are impossible in the confined space of the dolphinarium. They liken the enclosure to a concrete jail for the dolphins.

The activists also highlighted that two dolphins, Alex and Plata, died within a year at this dolphinarium, with no clear explanation provided for their deaths.

During the protest, the activists attempted for the third time to deliver a petition to the Barceló hotel. Previous attempts were made at the Barceló resort property in Puerto Aventuras, and at the Barceló Reforma in Mexico City during a demonstration in August. In all instances, the hotel staff refused to accept the petition.

In addition to the petition, the activists brought along dozens of drawings from students at the Díaz Ordaz Primary School in La Paz, Baja California. These drawings were pleas from the children, urging the hotel chain to end dolphin captivity. The hotel also declined to accept these drawings.

The Fight to Free Dolphins in Captivity in Mexico

The dolphin captivity industry in Mexico has long been a focal point of ethical debates and conservation efforts. In the state of Quintana Roo alone, which includes popular tourist destinations like Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Cozumel, there are 19 facilities that profit daily from dolphin exploitation.

These establishments have historically marketed interactions with dolphins, capitalizing on the misconception of the “dolphin’s smile” to attract tourists.

Recognizing the ethical concerns, the Mexican government has taken legislative steps to address the issue. In 2017, Mexico City passed a law prohibiting the use of marine mammals in shows, therapy sessions, and scientific experiments, mandating that existing facilities relocate their dolphins within six months or face substantial fines.

Building on this momentum, in April 2022, the Mexican Chamber of Deputies approved an amendment to the General Wildlife Law, banning the use of marine mammals in fixed or itinerant shows and any activities not aimed at scientific research for conservation.

Despite these legislative efforts, enforcement has been inconsistent. Many facilities continue to operate, leveraging legal loopholes and delays to maintain their programs. For instance, in Cancún and the Riviera Maya, dolphin shows and swim-with-dolphin experiences persist, with over 250 dolphins reportedly held in captivity in Quintana Roo alone.

Companies like Dolphinaris, Dolphin Discovery and resort chains such as Barceló continue to offer these activities, citing ongoing legal processes and the absence of clear guidelines for the relocation or release of captive dolphins.

Why Life in Captivity is Harmful to Dolphins

Keeping dolphins in captivity for entertainment is harmful to their physical and mental well-being. In the wild, dolphins swim up to 100 miles daily, exploring vast, dynamic environments, which captivity cannot replicate. Confined to small tanks, they suffer from stress and frustration, often exhibiting repetitive behaviors like circling or floating motionlessly.

Physically, captive dolphins face numerous health issues, including skin damage from chlorine exposure, sunburn in shallow pools, and dental injuries from chewing on pool edges out of stress.

The social structure of dolphins further highlights the harm of captivity. These highly social animals form complex bonds within their pods, but captivity often forces artificial groupings, leading to conflicts and social stress. Breeding programs exacerbate the problem, with unnatural pairings and premature separation of calves from mothers causing distress.

Despite claims of longer lifespans in captivity due to veterinary care, studies show captive dolphins often have higher mortality rates due to stress and substandard living conditions.

Captive dolphins also lose the ability to forage naturally, being fed a monotonous diet of dead fish that lacks the diversity of their wild diet. Ethically, reducing these intelligent, sentient animals to performers undermines their intrinsic value and perpetuates their suffering.

Claims that dolphin shows educate the public misrepresent their natural behaviors and ecosystems, prioritizing profit over conservation. Ultimately, captivity fails to meet the needs of these complex creatures, making it a practice that should be replaced with efforts to protect them in the wild.

The persistence of these “Swim with Dolphin” programs in Mexico underscores the tension between legislative intent and practical implementation. While laws have been enacted to curtail dolphin captivity, the lucrative nature of the industry, combined with enforcement challenges, has allowed such practices to continue.

This ongoing situation highlights the need for more robust enforcement mechanisms and public awareness to align industry practices with ethical and conservation standards.