01/08/2026
This might be the biggest dolphin news you have not heard yet.
Mexico has moved to end marine mammal shows, and it could change life for hundreds of captive dolphins.
In mid 2025, Mexico updated its General Wildlife Law. The reform was published July 16, 2025 and took effect the next day.
The new rules shut the door on using marine mammals for entertainment and other profit-driven activities. It also blocks captive breeding in most cases.
So what happens to the dolphins already there?
Groups tracking the industry estimate around 350 dolphins are held in facilities across Mexico. The goal now is to move them out of concrete tanks and into seaside sea-pen style sanctuaries where possible.
The law itself points in that direction. For cetaceans, it says they should be kept in marine enclosures, not concrete pools, and if that is not possible, the facility must allow real seawater exchange.
That does not mean every dolphin will be released into the open ocean. Many were born in captivity, so the focus is likely on safer, more natural living conditions, not a sudden “back to the wild” moment.
The hard part is what comes next. Building sea pens, setting standards, and funding long-term care takes time and serious oversight.
But the message is clear. Mexico is turning away from dolphin shows, and toward a future where these animals are not performers.
References:
DOF publica decreto por el que se prohíbe el uso de ejemplares mamíferos marinos para aprovechamiento extractivo, ya sea de subsistencia o comercial - Cámara de Diputados (Comunicación Social)
Ley General de Vida Silvestre, Reforma 25 publicada 16-07-2025 - Cámara de Diputados (LeyesBiblio)
Mexico bans use of captive marine mammals for entertainment - Humane World for Animals
From Tanks to Sanctuaries: Mexico Votes to Free Captive Dolphins - International Marine Mammal Project, Earth Island Institute
Mexico bans dolphin shows in historic win for animal welfare - World Animal Protection
Note: The images used in this post have been created using AI for illustration purposes only.
