Chetumal, Quintana Roo — The nine dolphins at Dolphin Discovery Ventura Park cannot be moved to another site because the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) has not issued the required authorization, according to Quintana Roo’s Environment Secretary, Óscar Rébora.
Rébora pushed back against social media claims that the animals are in poor condition or their lives are at risk, insisting the dolphins have not been abandoned.
He explained that officials, along with civil organizations, have inspected potential relocation sites, but the transfer cannot proceed until PROFEPA grants permission. “What I can say is that the dolphins are not abandoned, as was made viral,” Rébora said. “We are in communication and once we get the go-ahead, they will be moved.”
PROFEPA closed the dolphinarium on Oct. 14, 2025, citing irregularities, and set conditions for the animals’ relocation. Rébora said the federal agency has the final say on when, how and where the dolphins can be transferred.
The company is required to report the dolphins’ health and water quality conditions to PROFEPA, and that information is in the federal agency’s hands, he added.
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