Drone footage has sparked a boycott call after six dolphins were filmed circling in a shallow concrete tank, a former guest pool rented to a ‘dolphin experience’ firm
Footage shows six dolphins stuck in a “shallow”, concrete tank built as swimming pools for guests in Mexico hotel. The hotel Hyatt Ziva Cancun, in Cancun, Mexico has been renting the former pool to a company called Delphinus, a “dolphin experience” provider since 2015.
Drone footage from May 2026, provided by marine animal rights group TideBreakers, shows the dolphins either swimming in endless circles or floating aimlessly by the gate. The animals are also faced with a series of interactions with the public throughout the day, limiting time for their own normal social behaviour, TideBreakers said.
Marketa Schusterova, TideBreaker’s co-founder, visited the resort in May, and said the animals were in “poor conditions” – and were in shallow pools, had minimal shade and little to zero rest.
The animal rights group is launching a campaign globally boycotting Hyatt hotels until they stop renting the pool out to Delphinus. Marketa said: “These dolphins are in shallow tanks, have no escape, no shade, suffer from a constant barrage of disco music and then at night a laser show keeps them awake.
“They are not medically looked after well, appear thin, have damage and scars on their bodies and they are clearly distressed. There is zero possibility of any kind of normal social behaviour as they might experience it in the wild.”
In response, a spokesperson from Hyatt Ziva Cancun said: “We understand the concerns raised regarding the dolphins at the resort. While the dolphin habitat and program at the resort are operated and managed by a third party, Delphinus, we want all services and experiences offered at our hotel to meet our high standards.
“Delphinus is an organisation accredited by Mexican authorities and international agencies and is responsible for the care of the dolphins, including support from trained animal care and veterinary professionals.” Delphinus has not responded to request for comment.
Dolphins kept in captivity can be rescued – but they can’t usually just be released straight into the open ocean, Dolphin World explains. Animals born in tanks, or held for years in tourist venues, often don’t have the hunting skills, fitness levels or social pod structures needed to survive.
Instead, welfare groups say the safest route is relocation to a seaside sanctuary: enclosed ocean pens where dolphins can feel natural tides and currents, and swim in real seawater, while still being monitored by vets and supported with feeding if needed. Tourists are also warned not to judge a dolphin’s welfare by its facial expression.
The “smile” is simply the shape of a dolphin’s jaw, meaning it can look happy even when it’s stressed, injured or unwell. Welfare groups argue that even buying a day pass or staying at a resort linked to dolphin encounters can effectively bankroll the business model, because it helps keep leasing agreements and tourist demand profitable.
Globally, marine welfare organisations including Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) estimate there are around 3,600 to 3,700 captive cetaceans – whales and dolphins – held in tanks worldwide. They also put the number of active captive facilities at about 345 across 56 countries, with the biggest concentrations in China, Japan, the United States, Mexico and Russia.
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