The Dutch Cabinet has decided to prohibit the breeding of dolphins, a move that leaves the future of the Dolfinarium uncertain, according to De Telegraaf. The decision, reported on Wednesday, would set the park on a path toward keeping no dolphins in captivity.
Under the plan, the Dolfinarium would have to work toward an end to holding dolphins, NOS reports. De Gelderlander reports that the park's 22 dolphins would be the last generation kept there.
The ban is framed as a phase-out rather than an immediate closure. The reports do not specify a timeline for the animals currently at the park, nor do they detail how the Cabinet intends to enforce the breeding prohibition.
The plan has drawn criticism from some of the park's supporters. RTL.nl reports that fans disagree with the breeding ban, with one describing the approach as going too far.
The Dolfinarium is located in the Netherlands and has long housed dolphins among its attractions. The reporting so far focuses on the Cabinet's decision and its consequences for the park, without stating how the park itself has responded.
What to watch next: whether the Dolfinarium issues a formal response and how the Cabinet's plan proceeds through the Dutch political process.
