Mexico Denies Breaking Dolphin Breeding Ban

Mexico — The Mexican Association of Habitats for the Interaction and Protection of Marine Mammals (AMHMAR) has issued a statement denying that it has continued practices of cetacean reproduction.

This follows allegations of violations of the law prohibiting the reproduction of marine mammals in captivity. In its statement, AMHMAR asserted, "The videos disseminated on social networks regarding the birth of dolphins in Cozumel correspond to pregnancies that began before the entry into force of the reforms to the General Wildlife Law on July 17, 2025, which prohibit reproduction under human care in Mexico."

The association added that all of these cases were "opportunely and formally" reported to the competent authority, in accordance with the inventories of specimens that the law requires. "This is not, therefore, a matter of non-compliance or new reproductions subsequent to the reform, but the natural result of biological processes initiated prior to it."

AMHMAR assured that "the maternities observed in the videos are part of the best zoological practices worldwide, as they allow for the necessary professional care to ensure births are successful because they protect the female and the calf. This is part of the knowledge generated in zoological facilities, which has allowed specimens to thrive in these habitats, as in the case of the institutions associated with AMHMAR, in which 70% of the dolphins in their care have been born in their facilities."

The association called for avoiding the politicization of an issue it describes as strictly technical, which should be analyzed based on scientific evidence and the current legal framework.

This comes after Óscar Rébora, head of the Secretariat of Ecology and Environment (SEMA) of Quintana Roo, reported earlier this week that they have requested inspection operations at dolphinariums in Quintana Roo. This request was made in response to allegations from environmental groups that the reproduction of marine mammals in captivity has continued.

"This is completely a federal jurisdiction, but obviously we are aware. I have already notified the attorney general's offices so that they can carry out the corresponding inspections, and, well, we are waiting for the attorney general's office to carry out the procedures so that all these complaints that are being reported, that they continue to reproduce dolphins and continue to mistreat them, are addressed," Rébora stated.

In response, the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) announced that these businesses have until October 14 to submit an inventory of all specimens in their possession to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat). Within that inventory, they must indicate, among other things, if there are pregnant females and their gestation period.

Simultaneously, Profepa stated that if there are any marine mammals that were born in these facilities after the entry into force of the reform decree prohibiting the reproduction of these specimens, they may not be used for direct or indirect profit.