Dolphin City: Chennai’s dolphinarium that shaped national debate on marine mammal captivity over 25 years ago Premium

Explore Chennai's controversial dolphinarium, which ignited national debates on marine mammal captivity and animal welfare ethics.

In the late 1990s, Chennai briefly hosted what was projected as a futuristic entertainment experiment — a dolphinarium on the East Coast Road near Mamallapuram. Named Dolphin City, the facility promised an experience modelled on American marine theme parks such as SeaWorld, by introducing captive dolphin shows to Indian audiences for the first time.

Within months, the spectacle turned into controversy as all the three dolphins died, setting off one of the country’s earliest debates on the ethics of marine mammal captivity.

A report in The Hindu dated July 13, 1998 described the excitement surrounding the opening of Dolphin City, where imported dolphins — Peppy, Antorio, and Daisy — performed acrobatics before packed audiences. The ₹13-crore facility, operated by Amusements and Picnic Resorts Private Limited, featured a 1,500-seat arena and an underground viewing gallery for observing dolphin behaviour.

According to the report, the dolphins had been flown from Bulgaria and were trained to balance balls, leap through hoops, catch fish from trainers and interact with spectators during choreographed shows. Promoters positioned the dolphinarium as the “king of tourist attractions” along the East Coast Road, equipped with modern filtration systems, chlorination devices and cooling mechanisms intended to maintain water temperatures suitable for marine mammals.

For many Chennai residents, the attraction offered a rare glimpse of animals previously seen only in foreign theme parks and films. However, critics and animal welfare organisations highlighted the physiological stress caused by confinement, difficulties in maintaining appropriate water conditions, and the lack of specialised veterinary expertise.

An article in The Hindu published on October 12, 1998 referred to a letter from a reader pointing to environmental concerns surrounding the dolphinarium, including noise pollution from loud music, traffic and parking problems affecting nearby villages, and the heavy use of groundwater.