The Dolphinarium in Hotel Barceló Is Now Closed
Good news for dolphins! The dolphinarium at Hotel Barceló has been permanently closed by Mexico’s Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA). This decision follows intense pressure from local organisations like Animal Heroes, with the support of PETA Latino.
The Dolphinarium is owned by the same company that operates the infamous Miami Seaquarium, and travel operator TUI, that still condones confining cetaceans for entertainment, is a partner of the hotel chain Barceló.
Injuries and Deaths
The chief of PROFEPA announced the closure on social media, citing multiple violations and incidents that led to this action. One of the key incidents involved a dolphin named Mincho, who suffered an injury on 28 November 2020. Despite a veterinarian’s recommendation for two weeks of rest, Mincho was put back to work just two days later.
Further investigations revealed that the dolphinarium failed to report Mincho’s health status monthly to PROFEPA, did not have authorisation for dolphin performances, and frequently exceeded the permitted number of humans in the pool with the dolphins.
These violations, along with the deaths of other dolphins, Alex and Plata, in 2024, highlighted the facility’s disregard for animal welfare and the extent to which cetaceans suffer in tiny tanks.
Trapped in Tiny Tanks and Forced to Entertain Tourists
Four adult male dolphins lived in a small tank on the hotel’s premises which was smaller than the hotel’s swimming pool.
These animals were trained to perform unnatural, demeaning tricks. In “swim with dolphins” encounters, they were forced to repeatedly push and pull human tourists around, sometimes over 50 times a day.
It was common to see captive dolphins with soft tissue lesions or other wounds on their faces and fins. These can be caused by rubbing their skin on tank walls or by repeatedly ferrying humans around the tank with their bodies.
There was no species-appropriate enrichment for the dolphins trapped there. They were often observed floating listlessly at the top of the water, an unnatural behaviour known as “logging”.
PETA
No Shade From the Bright Sun
UV exposure harms the skin and eyes of captive dolphins who cannot dive deep enough to escape the sun’s rays.
Stressful Environment
In their natural ocean homes, dolphins have complex social hierarchies. However, in marine parks and dolphinariums, humans force them to live in random groups. Unavoidable conflicts are inevitable.
Barceló hosts music festivals where loud music may go on for several days, putting the dolphins under even more stress.
The primary sense for dolphins and other cetaceans is hearing. Exposure to loud sounds, both airborne and underwater, has a detrimental effect on them.
At Barceló Maya Grand Resort, they were exposed to constant and often loud noises from tourists, background music, and the pumps and other equipment in their tank.
No Veterinarian
In apparent violation of Mexican law, no veterinarian was on site at the Barceló Maya Grand Resort dolphin tank.
Polluted Pens
Throughout the Caribbean, dolphins are kept in small pools or polluted sea pens. Debris and rubbish left in or near these pools, such as plastic bags, sunglasses, or the paper used to wrap the “fish food,” can be ingested by the animals, causing gastrointestinal problems or even death.
Driven by greed, many facilities operate almost continuously, giving the animals little respite from a constant stream of tourists.
Help Dolphins Exploited for Entertainment
The cruel conditions and treatment experienced by the dolphins at Hotel Barcelo is the norm for cetaceans kept prisoner for profit at the expense of their physical and mental health. Dolphins are intelligent animals. In their ocean homes, they swim on average 40 miles a day and can dive to great depths. They have distinct personalities, can recognise themselves in mirrors, and can think about the future. They seek out others whose company they enjoy and avoid those they don’t.
Never pay to “swim with dolphins” or engage in any other activity that sees them exploited for profit.
Tell your friends and family to do the same.
TUI Must Cut Ties With ALL Marine Parks
TUI – a partner of Barceló – still promotes and sells tickets to marine parks. It is abhorrent that it continues to support an industry that exploits animals, forces them to live in misery and cuts their lives short to make a profit. Please, join us in urging TUI to cut ties with all marine parks:
