Is Swimming With Dolphins Ethical?

Dolphins are among the most intelligent species on the planet. Just like us, they’re capable of developing deep social bonds, and studies even show that each pod member has a personalised whistle, similar to how we give each other names.

It’s probably because of how intelligent and majestic dolphins are that people want to get up close with them. As such, swimming with dolphins is featured regularly on “top things to do before you die” and “ultimate bucket list” articles.

However, the 2013 documentary Blackfish did a pretty good job at shattering people’s perceptions of dolphins being used for entertainment. The documentary highlighted the dark reality behind SeaWorld and how it’s marine animals were kept and treated. SeaWorld suffered a $1.7 billion loss in market capitalisation after the release of the documentary – an effect now canned as “the blackfish effect.”

And while Blackfish caused a public outcry against dolphins being used in shows and other forms of entertainment, swimming with dolphins is still seen as okay by many. But, as with many tourist attractions where animals are used for profit, “swim with dolphins” programmes have a dark side. It’s time to expose the truth and answer the question: is swimming with dolphins ethical?

Why is it cruel to keep dolphins in captivity?

Dolphins live in tight-knit pods and form deep social bonds. Capturing and separating a dolphin from its pod is highly distressing for the animal, particularly when a young dolphin is taken from its mother. Even dolphins bred in captivity are often split from family when they’re shuffled between parks.

Dolphinariums cannot even begin to replicate a natural habitat. Bottlenose dolphins, for example, often have territories exceeding 100 square kilometres – it’s impossible to build an enclosure remotely comparable.

Every day, dolphins travel vast distances to hunt for food. In captivity, these natural feeding and hunting behaviours are completely lost. Confined to a small pool, these fast-moving, deep-diving creatures swim in circles and are not able to play, hunt or dive. As incredibly active, intelligent and complex animals, they no doubt feel painfully frustrated and bored.

Many captive dolphins die far short of their natural lifespan. They’re simply not suited to captivity, and many governments around the world are being to recognise this – Chile, Costa Rica and Croatia have all banned the keeping of dolphins and whales in captivity.

And, let’s not forget that captive animals need to come from somewhere. I recommend watching the award-winning documentary The Cove. It’s about former dolphin trainer, Ric O’Barry, coming to terms with the reality of keeping dolphins in captivity, and the cruelty behind the industry. Ric O’Barry investigates the infamous dolphin hunters of Taiji (a coastal town in Japan), who, driven by the multi-billion dollar dolphin entertainment industry, hunt and capture dolphins to sell to dolphinariums.

TripAdvisor announced in 2019 that it would no longer sell tickets to attractions that breed or import cetaceans for public display. Hopefully, TripAdvisor’s decision to end commercial relationships with facilities that house captive cetaceans will make a real impact.

Ultimately, we concluded that whales and dolphins do not thrive in captivity. The evidence is both plentiful and compelling. These are highly intelligent animals with complex needs, and their natural environment and wide-ranging roaming habits in the wild cannot be mimicked in inland facilities and small sea pens… We hope that this generation of whales and dolphins in captivity will be the last.

Trip Advisor

Why is swimming with dolphins cruel?

Captive dolphins who are used in “swim with dolphins” programmes are usually kept hungry so that they are forced to interact with tourists. Dolphins in the wild do not wave at people, kiss people, or opt to swim with people – simply because that’s not a natural behaviour. Many countries, such as The United States, do not have regulations when it comes to these programmes, so many dolphins are forced to work all day, with no respite from being constantly touched by tourists. Dolphins can easily become anxious, frustrated and aggressive as a result of living in shallow pools and constant interaction with humans.

Some “swim with dolphins” programmes boast that they’re “open ocean.” This means that instead of the dolphins being kept in a tank, they’re kept out in the open sea. Don’t be fooled though; many of these dolphins are kept in closed-off pens and let out once the programme starts. The dolphins will follow the boat out to open water, where they know they’ll be given food if they interact with tourists. Many tourists believe the dolphins are choosing to play with them, when in reality, they’re performing for food. Some operators will even chase the dolphins, which upsets their natural behaviours and causes stress.

The conservation fallacy

Dolphinariums and aquariums are increasingly promoting themselves as conservation centres, in an effort to make their facility seem more ethical. Some people justify participating in “swim with dolphins” programmes because of this. This is no more than clever marketing, given that an estimated 5-10% of dolphinariums are actually involved in substantial conservation programmes.

Rather than working to increase wild populations, they tend to breed more captive dolphins, who may never even be released into the wild. Captive breeding does nothing for conservation, especially when the overwhelming majority of dolphin species being bred in captivity are not endangered or threatened. Remember, wildlife conservation is the practice of protecting wild species and their habitats, not creating a surplus of animals in captivity.

What about swimming with wild dolphins?

It seems that most people view swimming with wild dolphins as an ethical, cruelty-free experience. They’re able to swim away if they want to, and aren’t confined to captivity.

However, Maddalena Fumagalli, a cetacean biologist, investigated the impact tourist activity had on Spinner dolphins in the Middle East. It seemed that swimming with the dolphins was possibly contributing to their decline – this species of dolphin hunts at night and sleeps during the day, so tourists jumping into their space disrupts their sleep patterns.

Some species are known to be very inquisitive, though, and will willingly approach people in the water.

Here’s my advice: if you’re looking to go on a “swim with wild dolphins” excursion, do your research. What species will you be encountering? Find out whether these species are negatively impacted by tourism, as is the case with the Spinner dolphin. Is the company you’re going with responsible? Some companies have been known to chase, harass and scare dolphins, which upsets their natural feeding, resting and migrating behaviours.

The only way to swim with dolphins ethically is to let them behave naturally – this means not getting too close, and definitely no feeding or touching. If you’re in the water snorkelling or scuba diving and a dolphin comes over to check you out, consider yourself lucky!

Where to see dolphins in the wild – responsibly

There are many places around the world where wild dolphins can be watched in their natural environment. This is, in my opinion, the best way to encounter dolphins. I personally would argue that swimming with dolphins – even wild dolphins – is unnecessary, as it could be causing them stress or disrupting their natural behaviours.

Spotting dolphins in the wild is an exciting experience, but they are wild animals and should be respected. It’s worth doing your homework and opting for a responsible dolphin watching tour so that you know the dolphins are not being negatively affected by your trip.

Here are 6 places around the world where you can watch dolphins in the wild:

Azores, Portugal

The Azores archipelago is one of the world’s largest marine sanctuaries, with over 20 species of dolphins who call this area home. Bottlenose and Risso’s dolphins can be spotted here, as well as migratory species such as Atlantic Spotted dolphins at certain times of the year.

South California, USA

The coastline between Santa Barbara and San Diego is home to one of the densest dolphin populations in the world. Common dolphins are, as the name might suggest, the most commonly sighted species, but Bottlenose, Risso’s and Pacific White Sided dolphins can also be seen here.

Florida Keys, USA

Florida seems to be the tourist hot-spot for people wanting to get that perfect swimming-with-dolphins-selfie. This means that, sadly, there are many dolphin centres in Florida where dolphins are kept in captivity. Fortunately, it’s still possible to see them responsibly and cruelty-free in their natural habitat.

Moreton Island, Australia

Over 95% of Moreton Island is a designated national park, which means that marine life is protected. Over 600 Bottlenose dolphins call the shores of this island home, and the pier at Tangalooma is a great place to view them playing in the water.

Kaikoura, New Zealand

Kaikoura, on New Zealand’s south island, is home to four species of dolphin, including the rare Hector’s dolphin. It’s also home to Dusky dolphins, who are particularly fun to watch as they’re incredibly playful and jump high out of the water.

Plettenberg Bay, South Africa

South Africa is best known for being a great place to go whale watching, but Plettenberg Bay also provides a good chance of seeing Bottlenose and Common dolphins.

So, is swimming with dolphins unethical? The answer is yes. It’s much better for the dolphins to watch them from a distance and allow them to exhibit their natural behaviours.

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