As of May 5, 2018, owners of dolphinariums will have six months to transfer dolphins and sea lions to sanctuaries.
These companies must compy with the relocation of specimens, in which case the habitat of destination and the conditions of the specimens must be evaluated by the proper authorities.
The publication of this decree was made on Friday May 4 in the Official Gazette of Mexico City. The decree bans any type of show involving dolphins or sea lions. The ban was endorsed since August 2017.
Also delphinoterapia is prohibited since according to the Green Ecologist Party there is no scientific evidence that these animals help as effective treatment to people.
Companies or persons who do not comply with the provisions on the exploitation of these marine mammals will be entitled to fines ranging from 113 thousand to 300 thousand pesos for those who continue to use these marine mammals.
The National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO) reports that there are 4,381 mammal species worldwide, and Mexico ranks third in diversity of mammals with 535 species of which 488 are terrestrial and 47 species are marine.
Source: El Universal