Epic Video of Dolphins Having a Blast in the Wild Shows the Last Place They Belong is a Tank

Although we often look to primates when comparing animals to human intelligence, we should honestly be looking more to dolphins. They have advanced cognitive abilities, impressive communication skills, and are capable of feeling emotions just like humans. Still skeptical? Just one look at the dolphins in this video who are having an absolute ball in the water and all your doubts will fade away.

Jumping, flipping, and twirling, these dolphins are clearly having the time of their adorable life. The slo-mo in this video only makes their antics all the more epic. When you’re a witness to this amount of joy, seeing the conditions their fellow dolphins have to endure at SeaWorld is depressing. Dolphins are super self-aware and dislike boredom just as much as anyone else. When kept in captivity they show disheartening zoochotic behaviors such as swimming in circles repetitively, establishing pecking orders and lying motionless at the surface or on the aquarium floor for relatively long periods of time. Some captive dolphins have even ended their own lives due to their extreme distress and depression.

While places like SeaWorld would like us to believe that the behavior dolphins exhibit in captivity is totally normal, videos like this prove otherwise. We hope one day all dolphins will be able to splash around in the water and have as much fun as these guys! We can all do our part in helping make this dream into a reality by boycotting marine parks and other cruel animal attractions, and raising awareness about the detriments of captivity.