The Barceló hotel chain boasts a successful business, but their profit-driven actions come at a tragic cost to dolphins at the Barceló Maya Grand Resort near Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Four adult male dolphins are confined in a small tank on the hotel's premises, forced to perform unnatural tricks for tourists.
The "dolphinarium" is operated by Dolphinaris, owned by The Dolphin Company, the same company responsible for the infamous Miami Seaquarium. These dolphins are subjected to constant stress, performing repetitive tasks, often over 50 times a day, in "swim with dolphins" encounters. The cramped tank, smaller than the hotel's swimming pool, lacks proper enrichment, leading to unnatural behaviors like "logging" where dolphins float listlessly at the surface.
The dolphins face numerous health risks, including skin and eye damage from UV exposure, injuries from tankmate aggression, and gastrointestinal problems from ingesting debris. Their natural social structures are disrupted, and they are subjected to constant noise pollution from tourists and tank equipment. Despite minimal protections in the US, facilities outside the country often lack regulations, leading to exploitation and poor living conditions.
Dolphins are highly intelligent and social animals, capable of complex thought and communication. Their natural lives are drastically different from the confinement they endure in these facilities. It's crucial to raise awareness about the plight of these animals and urge tourists to boycott facilities that exploit dolphins for profit.