how much are dolphins when a zoo puchases them?

Question

im doing some research and cannot find out how much a zoo would buy them for
(no i dont want one)

Answer 1

Overall zoos really do not purchase animals like that. Larger species like elephants, lions, gorillas, monkeys, etc are more or less obtained through loaning or trading with other zoos. Some are also rescue animals or orphaned.

The types of animals you will see zoos buying are smaller things such as reptiles, fish, birds. Stuff that is bred through private breeders or facilities that supply places like aquariums and zoos.

I am not saying that there are not some zoos out there that purchase animals, it is just in this day and age it is not something that is done in well supported zoos. You can see the purchase of larger animals in your smaller road side zoos, poor areas of the world and countries where there are loose laws on exotic trade.

Answer 2

I was reading an article about Japan selling orcas to various entertainment venues or whatever places like Sea World are called. They sold for 1 million USD each. Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are the largest species in the dolphin family (Delphinidae).

Smaller species sell for around $47,000.