Mexico dolphin death: Outrage as animal falls on concrete during Barcelo Riviera Maya hotel show routine and dies

The heartbreaking footage, filmed by a tourist at the Barcelo Riviera Maya hotel in Mexico, in January, shows a group of dolphins jumping out of the water in sync during the show.

But suddenly one of them misses the mark and hits a narrow sliver of concrete separating the big pool from a smaller one as the crowd gasps in shock.

It lies lifeless by the side of the pool as a trainer rushes over to check on the dolphin, reportedly named Plata. Some of the other dolphins emerge from the water as well as the footage ends.

Animal rights organisations including Animal Heroes, Dolphin Freedom, Marea and Oceanos De Vida Libre reported the death of two dolphins in recent months and said in a joint statement: "For a year now, the organisations Animal Heroes, Dolphin Freedom, Marea, and Oceanos De Vida Libre have maintained a permanent campaign demanding the closure of this dolphinarium, which is one of the smallest in Mexico.

"We have delivered letters to both Barcelo in Playa del Carmen and in Mexico City, as well as letters from schoolchildren in Baja California pleading for an end to the exploitation of dolphins, yet they have never been willing to receive us."

They also said: "In addition, we have exposed other tragedies, such as the deaths of the dolphins Alex and Plata in just one year, which were never properly investigated.

"We have shown that the dolphin pool is smaller than those for humans, despite the fact that in the wild they swim vast distances and depths, that they have no shelter from the sun, and so on."

The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) has opened an investigation.

Story: NewsX