Are Dolphins Kept in Impoverished Environments?

Simple Summary Dolphins are among the most popular animals in zoos and aquariums around the world. Recently, however, a paper suggested that environments for dolphins in zoos and aquariums might be impoverished, leading to possible problems for their brain and cognitive functioning. This review directly examines that hypothesis in light of the existing scientific literature relevant to dolphin welfare in zoos and aquariums. The results of this analysis-based on the documented standards of modern professional zoological organizations, the results of a multi-national study on dolphin welfare, and the behavior of dolphins in modern zoos and aquariums-show that this claim is clearly false. However, as not impoverished would be a ridiculously low bar to set as an animal welfare standard, additional strategies are suggested for providing cognitive challenges in zoos and aquariums to optimize dolphins' cognitive well-being.Abstract Numerous studies have demonstrated the negative effects of impoverished environments versus the positive effects of enriched environments on animals' cognitive and neural functioning. Recently, a hypothesis was raised suggesting that conditions for dolphins in zoological facilities may be inherently impoverished, and thus lead to neural and cognitive deficits. This review directly examines that hypothesis in light of the existing scientific literature relevant to dolphin welfare in zoological facilities. Specifically, it examines how dolphins are housed in modern zoological facilities, where the characteristics of such housing fall on the continuum of impoverished-to-enriched environments, and the extent to which dolphins show behavioral evidence characteristic of living in impoverished environments. The results of this analysis show that contrary to the original hypothesis, modern zoological facilities do not inherently, or even typically, house dolphins in impoverished conditions. However, it also notes that there is variation in animal welfare across different zoological facilities, and that not impoverished would be a particularly low bar to set as an animal welfare standard. To optimize cognitive well-being, strategies for providing additional cognitive challenges for dolphins in zoological facilities are suggested.

Automated summary

Recent research suggested that environments for dolphins in zoos and aquariums might be impoverished, affecting their brain and cognitive functioning. However, a review of scientific literature on dolphin welfare in zoos and aquariums shows that this claim is false. Modern zoological organizations and studies on dolphin welfare indicate that dolphins are not housed in impoverished conditions, but strategies for providing cognitive challenges are suggested for optimizing their cognitive well-being.