Research has shown that dolphins and orcas have distinctive cultures, societies, and personalities. Marine experts say that isolating these animals in amusement park tanks is morally wrong, because they are socially driven.
They want the animals to be recognized with human-like rights because they believe dolphins are non-human persons. This means that the deliberate killing of a dolphin is ethically the equivalent of deliberately killing a human being.
Such a recognition would certainly drive a lot of changes in society. For one, it would make illegal some imprecise fishing methods that kill thousands of dolphins and whales each year. It is unknown if dolphins will ever actually be seen by the masses the way scientists see them and it is unlikely that laws will be passed that recognize dolphins in non human humane ways.