Captivity Issues Cetaceans live in a 3 dimensional world of sound. Weather they are chasing fish, playing in the waves, or exploring the deep underwater realms, whales, dolphins and porpoises are constantly curious and inquisitive. For them, the only healthy environment is an active environment - an environment where each individual is allowed the freedom and protection to grow and learn as a member of a close family group, or pod.
But for a captive cetacean, life is quite different. There are no crashing waves to glide through, no fish to chase, no underwater realm to explore, and no family unit to socialize with. It is true, they often have the opportunity to be active - to jump through hoops, or carry a "trainer" on their back - but when the stadium is empty and the music stops, Dolphins, Killer Whales, Belugas, and Porpoises from all around the world can be seen swimming circles in their concrete tanks, or lying listlessly on the surface of their chlorinated pens. 
Corky (above) is one of the oldest orcas in captivity. Despite a life far from her family in the north pacific, she still remembers the distinct dialect that her family uses. When NBC reporters played a recording of her free family for her, she reacted with recognition.
Lolita, the oldest in captivity, is also kept in the smallest tank in the US. At the Miami Seaquarium, Lolita's tail drags on the bottom of her small concrete enclosure. |  |
Captivity Quick-Facts *50% of all captured dolphins die within seven years of capture (only 2.9% of wild dolphins die when exposed to high stress).
*Beluga whales do not grow to full size in captivity.
*For every one cetacean captured, 3 to 4 are chased, surrounded, and handled.
*Dolphins taken from the wild are usually 2-4 years old (in the wild, dolphins stay with their mothers until they are about 5/6 years old).
*Average life span for captive Orcas is 5 years (Females can live to age 80+ in the wild) 
*Captive Born Orcas only have a 35% survival rate -- of 46 known pregnancies, 13 lived (stillbirths and aborts not included)
*In captivity, the dorsal fins of male orcas flop over when they reach maturity. (There is less than 1% chance of this happening in the wild)
*When the Bellerive Symposium on Whales and Dolphins in Captivity met in 1990, no one showed up to argue on the side of captivity.
We hope to update this page often with new facts. Is there something more you would like to see on this page? Please let us know! e-mail us! |
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The large marine parks, such as Sea World, are not the only places cetaceans are held captive. Dolphinariums are popular throughout the world. These "side shows" often have several dolphins in a small tank where they perform over and over each day. In Edmonton, "mall dolphins" are held captive in tanks where they are left unguarded at times. Some visitors throw coins and trash into the tanks, causing a threat to the curious and bored dolphins. Because of this, the dolphins must have their bodies x-rayed often so that anything lodged in their digestive track can be treated before it causes sickness or death.
Before you plan a family trip that includes stopping at a marine park with cetaceans, take a few things into consideration. Many aquariums have made policies against marine mammal captivity (Great Britain outlawed it completely), so why not visit one of them? But most importantly, ask yourself this.... 
Do I want my children to think this is entertaining? Mental disorders, premature death, stunted growth, isolation, boredom, aggression, failed pregnancies,.....The list goes on and on. There are truly too many topics related to captivity to discuss in this one page. Please visit our links to other captivity sites for more info. Help us to end this terrible way of life by visiting the following pages: What Everyone Can Do Action Alert! |
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