Numerous scientific studies have debunked this idea to the extent that even the Born Free Foundation has acknowledged that in modern dolphinariums, life expectancy is comparable to that of dolphin populations in the wild. But the reality is, if anything, even better.

The lifespan of dolphins is notably higher in modern dolphinariums. While it is rare for dolphins to live beyond 30 years in the wild, it is not uncommon to find individuals in European dolphinariums exceeding 40 or even 50 years. The oldest dolphins under human care were Nelly (who lived to 61 in the United States) and Moby (who lived to 60 at the Nuremberg Zoo).