Dolphins in Distress at Vallarta Adventures

For decades, Mexico’s beautiful coastlines and turquoise waters have drawn tourists from around the world. Beneath the promise of sun, leisure, and “once-in-a lifetime” dolphin encounters lies a darker reality – an industry that exploits dolphins for tourist entertainment.

At Vallarta Adventures Dolphin Center in the beach resort town Bucerías, Nayarit, dolphins are suffering from serious and visible health issues. According to investigations by Empty the Tanks Mexico (ETT Mexico) dolphins show signs of tongue injuries, extreme tooth wear and loss, and possible fungal or viral infections. ETT Mexico reports that one dolphin has endured at least eight miscarriages, highlighting the severe toll captivity can take on reproductive health. Others display clear indicators of chronic stress – conditions that raise urgent alarm about their living conditions.

ETT Mexico has been documenting conditions at the facility for years. In 2022, the organization filed a complaint citing severe mistreatment and neglect. A former employee reported that a deceased dolphin was left wrapped in plastic for days before authorities were notified. ETT Mexico points out that these are not isolated cases; rather, they reveal systematic cruelty that persists even as new regulations promise long-awaited change.

While Vallarta Adventures Dolphin Center is one of the most troubling examples, it is far from the only one. Across Mexico, dolphins are still used as entertainment in an industry built on captures, confinement, and breeding. In its early years, the industry was fueled by captures in Mexican and Cuban waters and later sustained through breeding programs that ensured a steady supply of animals for shows and visitor interactions. Some Mexican facilities have also purchased wild-caught dolphins from the Solomon Islands and Taiji, Japan.

Mexico has taken steps to address these practices. In 2002, the country banned the capture of dolphins for commercial purposes in its own waters, and in 2006, it prohibited the import of wild-caught dolphins.

Then, in 2025, Mexico introduced sweeping legal reforms targeting dolphin captivity – historic changes that could ultimately lead to the phase-out of one of the world’s most lucrative industries built around captive dolphins.

A dolphin at Vallarta Adventures showing concerning visible issues around its mouth and beak. Empty the Tanks Mexico is documenting this cruelty and urging Mexican authorities to take action to protect these animals from further suffering. Credit: Empty the Tanks Mexico

ETT Mexico has been at the forefront of exposing mistreatment and supporting the implementation of these changes. Selene Mariel, speaking for the team at ETT Mexico, summarized the new regulations:

Approved in June 2025 by Congress, the reforms include:
• Ban on all physical contact with dolphins, including the foot push, dorsal tow, and rides
• Ban on reproduction, with facilities required to follow strict compliance protocols
• Prohibition of concrete tanks, with an 18-month transition period to transfer dolphins to sea pens when geographically possible
• Deadline of April 2027 for full compliance
• Full dolphin inventories, including dorsal fin photo ID
• Ban on jumps and circus shows, while some other activities remain allowed, such as exhibition and swimming at a distance, without touching
• Continued legal oversight, because much of the industry remains protected by injunctions (amparos).

While these reforms represent significant change, they do not immediately end the suffering of dolphins currently held in captivity. Many of Mexico’s captive dolphins are very young, meaning it will take years before Mexico becomes free of dolphinaria. Ensuring compliance with the no-breeding policy alone will require close monitoring and thorough documentation.

This is why ongoing oversight is critical. ETT Mexico continues to monitor facilities across the country, documenting violations, highlighting the most negligent facilities, and recording evidence to hold them accountable.

The situation at Vallarta Adventures Dolphin Center underscores the urgency of this work. Despite mounting evidence of cruelty, the facility continues to operate, benefiting from a legal and regulatory system still in transition. Enforcement challenges and legal protections have so far delayed meaningful consequences.

ETT Mexico is working to escalate cases of mistreatment to the highest legal levels, documenting neglect and cruelty toward dolphins, sea lions, and manatees.

“These facilities cannot continue to operate with impunity,” the organization states. “They must compensate for the harm caused to marine life after years of exploitation. These animals deserve a dignified retirement in sea pens, with veterinary care, if necessary.”

We at Dolphin Project support ETT Mexico in exposing harmful practices and advocating for stronger protection of marine life. As long as facilities like Vallarta Adventures Dolphin Center continue to operate, public awareness and pressure remain essential tools for change.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Together with ETT Mexico, we are calling on travelers and the international tourism community to refuse to buy tickets to Vallarta Adventures Dolphin Center, its sister locations, and other captive dolphin facilities throughout Mexico.

The owner of Vallarta Adventures Dolphin Center operates additional facilities in Mexico:
• Cabo Adventures in Baja California Sur
• Dolphinaris Cancun

By choosing not to participate in dolphin attractions, tourists can help reduce demand and support a future where dolphins are no longer used for entertainment.

PLEDGE NOT TO BUY A TICKET TO A DOLPHIN SHOW

Featured image: Dolphins at Vallarta Adventures are confined in small concrete tanks, stripped of any natural habitat, space, or stimulation. Forced into extreme confinement, deprived of normal social interactions, and exposed to constant human handling, they show signs of chronic stress and tremendous suffering—all so tourists can be entertained and the facility can profit from their exploitation. Credit: Empty the Tanks Mexico