Why are we still putting whales and dolphins in small tanks for entertainment?
Over 3,700 whales and dolphins are held captive across the globe. These highly intelligent individuals should not suffer for human ‘fun’. You can help end the cruel exploitation of whales and dolphins in marine parks around the world.
What is life like for a captive whale or dolphin?
Kidnapped, imprisoned and forced to perform. For an individual who is used to swimming many miles every day, a tank is a featureless prison cell. Most whales and dolphins live in complex family groups – with generations often staying together their whole lives. Life in an aquarium can mean separation from their families, and even being kept alone.
How does captivity affect whales and dolphins?
We can’t know what it feels like to be a whale or dolphin, but when you see the behaviour of individuals who have spent years in captivity, you can imagine the frustration, boredom and even despair that they may be feeling.
- Shorter lives – the death rate for captive orcas is significantly higher than in the wild. Most die in their late teens or early twenties, with few surviving beyond thirty. Depending on the country and facility, bottlenose dolphins and belugas also have higher death rates in captivity than in the wild.
- Attacks – frustration can cause captive whales and dolphins to attack each other and sometimes trainers and members of the public.
- Repetitive behaviours – in confinement, whales and dolphins may swim endlessly in circles, lie on the floor of the tank for extended periods, chew on the sides of the pool and repeat the same patterns of behaviour over and over.
- Dorsal fin collapse – orcas kept in tanks spend most of their time swimming in endless circles, causing their tall dorsal fins to collapse to one side. Dorsal fin collapse happens to 1% of wild orcas. 100% of captive male adult orcas have collapsed dorsal fins.
- Drugs – some parks give captive whales and dolphins tranquillisers to relieve the stress that they are feeling.
How your support can help
- Stop the capture – by supporting WDC, you can help us put pressure on governments to ban the capture of wild whales and dolphins.
- End the demand – you can help us make tourists and tour operators aware of the cruelty they are encouraging when they visit or promote marine parks holding whales and dolphins captive.
- Create sanctuaries – you can help provide alternative, more natural homes for captive whales and dolphins where they can enjoy improved health and welfare and even be prepared for release into the wild. Find out more.
Successes
- Captivity banned in India – WDC supporters like you helped us work with local campaigners to persuade the Indian government to ban whale and dolphin captivity.
- Virgin bans wild captures – thanks to WDC campaigning, the Virgin group pledged to make sure its partners who run aquariums no longer take whales and dolphins from the wild.
- US beluga whale import stopped – WDC supporters helped stop captured beluga whales being imported into the United States of America.
Dive deeper
Beluga whales in captivity
Find out more about the fate of captive beluga whales and the current numbers held in captivity.
Orcas in captivity
Find out more about the fate of captive orcas and the current numbers held in captivity.
Swimming with dolphins
Find out more about the impact of swimming with dolphins, the alternatives and how you can help.
Please care for whales and dolphins by taking action today.
Today there are more than 3,700 whales and dolphins held captive in aquariums, zoos and marine parks. One day, we’ll look back on this time and think, how could this cruelty ever have been considered entertainment? Help us end captivity now.
Our campaigns
Whales and dolphins are captured and imprisoned in marine parks around the world for one reason: they make money for big corporations. Help fight for whale and dolphin freedom today.
Don't Go To The Show
We haven't had captive whales or dolphins in the UK for more than 30 years, yet UK holidaymakers still flock to these cruel circuses when they are abroad.
Creating sanctuaries
To end captivity, we need sanctuaries where captive whales and dolphins can live the rest of their lives in a more natural environment or be rehabilitated for release.
Making captivity illegal in the UK
We're calling on the UK government to make whale and dolphin captivity illegal to stop them being held in the UK ever again.
Please help us end captive cruelty
By adopting a whale or dolphin, by making a donation, or by fundraising for WDC, you can help us save these amazing creatures from a life in confinement.
Adopt
Adopt a whale or dolphin and help us end captivity.
Donate
Your gifts help us take action to end this cruel exploitation.
Fundraise
Run, bake, walk, cycle… what could you do to help?