On 3 September, nine bottlenose dolphins were quietly transferred from Selwo Marina in Spain’s Costa del Sol, to facilities on Hainan Island, China. The move, confirmed as legal under CITES regulations, has not been publicly announced by owners of the Spanish facility, Parques Reunidos, although Selwo Marina has since removed its dolphin show from its website. This follows previous transfers of dolphins from Madrid Zoo and Aquopolis Costa Dorada to the same Chinese facility. Despite Spain’s 2023 ban on using wild animals in circus-style shows, dolphinariums remain exempt—highlighting a legal loophole that allows such transfers and performances to continue.
Beauval Zoo drops plans for Marineland dolphins
The Beauval Zoo has officially abandoned plans to build its proposed dolphinarium, meaning the project will no longer go ahead.
