Spectators at a hotel in Mexico were left horrified after a dolphin performed a trick and landed on concrete at their dolphinarium. Campaigners are calling for action to be taken against the site
Mexico: Dolphin lands on concrete during live performance
Horrifying footage has captured the moment a dolphin jumped out of the water and hit concrete during a show.
Shocked spectators were watching the animals at the Barcelo Riviera Maya hotel in Mexico when the peformance went pear shaped. The dolphin, known as Plata, jumped out of the water in sync with a group of other dolphins, but sadly missed the mark.
A video clip which has emerged online showed attendees gasped in shock as the mammal lied motionless on the ground. In the footage, the trainer ran over to check on Plata as the crowd watched on in horror. According to reports, Plata is said to have passed away following the freak accident.
The heartbreaking footage has shined light on other issues that have reportedly taken place at the dolphinarium, which is situated just metres away from the sea. Campaigners slammed the cruel conditions and said the pool is “smaller than those for humans”. Animal rights organisations Animal Heroes, Dolphin Freedom, Marea and Oceanos De Vida Libre reported the death of two dolphins in recent months.
In a joint statement, they said: “For a year now, the organisations Animal Heroes, Dolphin Freedom, Marea, and Oceanos De Vida Libre have maintained a permanent campaign demanding the closure of this dolphinarium, which is one of the smallest in Mexico. We have delivered letters to both Barcelo in Playa del Carmen and in Mexico City, as well as letters from schoolchildren in Baja California pleading for an end to the exploitation of dolphins, yet they have never been willing to receive us.
“In addition, we have exposed other tragedies, such as the deaths of the dolphins Alex and Plata in just one year, which were never properly investigated. We have shown that the dolphin pool is smaller than those for humans, despite the fact that in the wild they swim vast distances and depths, that they have no shelter from the sun, and so on.”
The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) has now opened an investigation into the tragic deaths of the animals, reports Express. In a statement, Profepa said: “On January 24, Profepa requested the submission of the documentation with which the Dolphinaris Barceló dolphinarium, located at the Barceló Hotel, notified the Directorate General of Wildlife (DGVS) about the death of the dolphin named Plata.”
Further footage of the same hotel released last month shows dolphins swimming in a tiny pool, visibly unhappy, which activists have called out as “gut-wrenching”. World Animal Protection says that captive dolphins often endure extensive suffering. The average tank the animals are kept in is 200,000 times smaller than their natural habitats, causing them a great deal of anguish.
They say: “Dolphins are the epitome of joyful, playful animals. We talk about their smiles, curiosity, intelligence, and willingness to help other animals. Over 3,000 dolphins are held captive to profit a multibillion-dollar dolphin tourism industry.”
