Riviera Maya, Q.R. — The Senate of the Republic of Mexico has approved a new law to protect dolphins in captivity. On June 23, the Senate unanimously approved the new Mincho Law that defines strict limits for dolphins used for tourist entertainment.
The new Ley Mincho or Mincho Law, named after a dolphin that was seriously injured during an acrobatic tourist show in Riviera Maya, is being hailed as a turning point for the protection of marine mammals in the country.
Once in effect, the new law prohibits the breeding of dolphins in captivity (unless for conservation purposes), their use in acrobatic shows and living in concrete tanks. The new law also includes the prohibition of keeping ‘new’ marine mammals.
The legislation was promoted by Animal Heroes, a civil organization, who lobbied for the changes after a video of dolphin Mincho’s accidnet was released on social media.
Mincho was a tourist show dolphin at the Barceló Hotel’s dolphinarium in Riviera Maya. In November 2020, during an acrobatic performance, Mincho suffered a serious accident when he hit a concrete slab outside the pool. The hotel did not report the accident to environmental authorities as required by law. Despite a veterinarian recommending two weeks of recovery, Mincho was returned to performing two days after the accident.
The Federal Attorney General’s Office for Environmental Protection (Profepa) visited the hotel, and after a lengthy inspection, permanently shut the hotel’s dolphin show and imposed a fine of more than 7.5 million pesos.
The Barceló Hotel’s dolphinarium in Riviera Maya was closed after federal environmental inspectors found multiple irregularities including unauthorized acrobatics, the participation of dolphins undergoing medical treatment in activities without veterinary approval and excessive crowding of dolphins.
According to Animal Heroes, there are more than 350 dolphins in captivity for tourist entertainment throughout Mexico. According to separate reports, a majority of those dolphins, at least 250, are in the state of Quintana Roo. Although the Senate of the Republic of Mexico has approved the new law, the initiative must now be voted on in the Chamber of Deputies for final approval.
