World Dolphin Day: Reporting unusual behavior, threats and increased protections
Nine dolphin species, and several more subspecies and local populations, are currently critically endangered or endangered, according to the most recent assessment by the IUCN, the global wildlife conservation authority. September 12 marks World Dolphin Day, an awareness day created in 2022 by marine conservation nonprofit Sea Shepherd to bring attention to the threats that […]
World Dolphin Day, celebrated on September 12th, aims to raise awareness about the threats facing dolphins. According to the IUCN, nine species of dolphins and several subspecies are currently critically endangered or endangered. In late 2025, Lahille's bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus gephyreus) was reclassified from vulnerable to endangered, with less than 400 individuals remaining in the wild.
The main threat to this subspecies is being killed as bycatch in gillnet fisheries operating along the coasts of southern Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina.
Despite these challenges, efforts are being made to protect and better understand dolphins globally. Research has uncovered novel behaviors, and there have been increased formal protections. Steps are also being taken to end cruel confinement practices.
For this World Dolphin Day, Mongabay presents three recent stories reporting on dolphins around the world. One article by Victoria Schneider, published in July, reveals that illegal drift nets continue to trap dolphins in the Mediterranean, despite a ban. The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) found that drift nets are still widely used in the Alboran Sea, between northwestern Morocco and the south coast of Spain.
The use of these nets has a significant impact on precious marine life, including dolphins, whales, sharks, and turtles.
Written by urgent.news from Mongabay's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
