My Opinion on Marine Mammals in Captivity

Have you ever participated in a swim-with-a-dolphin program, visited SeaWorld or watched a marine mammal show? Most of us have, but after looking behind the scenes of these facilities and seeing the harsh reality of keeping marine mammals captive, you will see why captivity is inhumane. Dolphins, sea lions and whales all across the world are torn out of their homes daily to meet the selfish needs of the public display industry. These marine mammals are captured from the wild to be put on display for the public to see, touch, and swim with. Not only are the tanks the animals are kept in chlorinated, small and crowded, but they are inhumane. In 1972, the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) was drafted which protected these animals by prohibiting the wild capture and importation/exportation of marine mammals in the United States (U.S Fish and Wildlife Service). Despite this act, there are still over five hundred dolphins, twenty five orcas, and an unknown number of sea lions still being imprisoned in the U.S today (WDC). These animals deserve a life worth living, a life that captivity simply cannot provide them with. Marine mammals such as dolphins, sea lions and whales do not belong in captivity.

So, how did this all begin? In 1964 the hit television show Flipper aired (Internet Movie Database). After the airing of this show, several marine mammal parks opened and started training dolphins. Seven different dolphins played the role of the intelligent pet and all of these dolphins were captured and demanded to do unnatural tricks and behaviors (The Cove). After the show was released, the number of dolphins being captured from the wild and put into marine mammal facilities exceeded very quickly. Never once did someone stop and ask themselves, “Is this morally okay?”. Most of the dolphins in captivity today were ripped from their mother and ocean home as a calf, forced into captivity, or they were bred into captivity. In the World Society for the Protection of Animal’s case against Marine Mammals in Captivity it reads, “Public display facilities often promote themselves as stranding and research centers. In fact, most stranded marine mammals, especially whales and dolphins, die after they are rescued; few survive rehabilitation to be released to the wild; many releases are not monitored for success; and some animals, despite their suitability for release, are retained for public display.” (The Case)The public needs to be educated about the harsh marine mammal industry before visiting and giving money to parks that thrive on the exploitation of dolphins, whales, and sea lions.

Cetaceans such as orcas and dolphins do not belong in captivity. As dolphin activist Richard O’Barry in the hit documentary The Cove said, “You have to see them in the wild to understand why captivity doesn’t work.” (Louie Psihoyos). For this essay, a yes-or-no poll on Instagram was created, asking followers whether or not they supported marine mammals in captivity. 32 out of 50 people who took part in this survey said no, they do not support marine mammals being held in captivity. These animals in the wild are known to travel hundreds of miles a day whereas in captivity, they lack the opportunity to; as a result the animals circle around and around their tanks all day and night. But it does not stop there, many of the behaviors that dolphins and whales display in the wild such as hunting, dominance, vocalization, communication, mating and maternal care are lost while these beings are held in captivity (The Case). These intelligent beings should not be contained in captivity for the public display industry.

Many people do not see the issues of captivity because the issues are rarely discussed. Tourists visit SeaWorld for a day, once all the shows are over, they can simply go home. These animals can not. One counter-argument against the claim that marine mammals do not belong in captivity is that by having these animals in captivity, it educates and inspires people to be passionate about them and their conservation. However, according to The Humane Society of the United States and World Society for Protection of Animals - “Some facilities promote themselves as conservation enterprises; however, few such facilities are involved in substantial conservation efforts'' (The Case). Many marine mammal facilities name themselves research and/or rescue centers when most cetaceans die when they are rescued and many few make it past rehabilitation. There are other ways we can educate the public on these incredible beings without forcing them to participate in shows performing unnatural behaviors.

Many dolphins and whales in captivity today are deemed “non-releasable” for reasons such as health, behavior, and ecological status. However, has any attempt ever been made to release them? How can these animals be labeled “non-releasable” if every attempt possible has not been made? In a survey conducted on the Candain public in 2003 it was found that 74% of people believed the best way to learn about marine mammals was to observe them in the wild, in their natural habitat and only 14% of all participants believed that viewing cetaceans in captivity was educational (The Case). In conclusion, when we see these animals at dolphinariums, we are not seeing them in their true state. The HSUS AND WSPA goes on to support this claim, “people do not receive an accurate picture of a species from captive representatives, and the trade in live marine mammals negatively impacts populations and habitat.”. When humans see an animal perform non-natural behaviors in captivity, they are not seeing them to their full potential or as they are in the wild, they are seeing what the trainers want us to see.

Intelligent marine mammals like dolphins, sea lions and whales do not deserve to be imprisoned in concrete enclosures and used as props in shows. At many marine mammal facilities these animals are forced to propel their trainers out of the water and participate in numerous “dolphin swims'' with tourists daily. This is no life for a creature of the wild. The HSUS and WPSA’s case against marine mammals in captivity reads, “Repeated exposure to a dolphin swimming in a pool or a polar bear (Ursus maritimus) pacing in a concrete enclosure encourages people to consider wildlife as isolated objects or as servants to human needs and desires rather than as integral elements of an ecosystem with their own intrinsic value.” These beautiful, intelligent, and unique animals are victims of explotation and slavery, they do not belong in captivity.

This was a difficult topic to talk about to me because I grew up swimming with the dolphins on my vacations in the Florida Keys and it is initially what sparked my interest in a career in marine biology. However, after vigorously researching the truth behind Marine Mammals in Captivity, I no longer can support it.