Mexico has now joined Chile and Costa Rica in banning both dolphin shows and captive breeding.

The Mexican government passed a law that prohibits using dolphins in activity not related to conservation. This includes entertainment, therapy, and research and also bans any breeding in captivity.

The care of captive dolphins must now follow strict care and welfare standards.

The detrimental effects on dolphins in captivity have been known for a very long time. In the past decades, we have begun to question en masse what we are doing to animals for entertainment and even what some call conservation efforts. Elephant rides, which I myself partook in decades earlier, have now been labeled as unethical. Information has become more and more transparent and now that we know better, we do better.

This new law by Mexico is a fantastic move in a positive direction and it reflects our demand for ethical tourism. It is still up to us to make better choices as tourists and humans.