Captivity Industry: Top news
Four captive orcas died in their concrete tanks in 2025, never to see or feel the ocean ever again. This tragic death march will continue until all captive cetaceans are retired to seaside sanctuaries. Learn about Katina, Kshamenk, Earth, and Kamea -- all dead.
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From pushing for sanctuaries for Wikie & Keijo and 30 beluga whales, to opposing attempts to gut the Endangered Species and Marine Mammal Protection Acts, to protecting wetlands in the Barataria basin, the International Marine Mammal Project has accomplished a great deal in 2025 for whales and dolphins.
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In a major step, the French government has recommended that Wikie and Keijo, two orcas left in a closed marine park, should be retired to the Whale Sanctuary Project's sanctuary in Nova Scotia. Hope for freeing Wikie and Keijo from their deteriorating tanks.
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Pilot whales are intelligent dolphins swimming off the coast of Taiji, Japan, but to the dolphin hunters, they are just so much meat to sell -- meat contaminated with mercury, not fit for human consumption. Kunito Seko caught the tragedy on film.
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TAKE ACTION: Thirty beluga whales are still stranded in Marineland, Canada, which has permanently closed, leaving these whales' fate up in the air in small concrete tanks. You can help free them to the new seaside sanctuary in Nova Scotia if you would like to call today.
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The International Marine Mammal Project opposes a new proposal in the Solomon Islands to catch 50 wild dolphins to sell to aquariums around the world. Captivity kills, and the captures of wild dolphins harms the environment that the people of the Solomon Islands depend on.
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Like many aquariums in Japan, Shimonoseki Aquarium has purchased live dolphins from the bloody dolphin hunts of Taiji, Japan. Live dolphins are torn from their families for a life in small concrete tanks, begging for food. Kunito Seko provides photos of these dolphins, performing tricks in sight of the freedom of the ocean.
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Breaking News: After several years of careful study, research on impacts, and construction plans, the Whale Sanctuary Project has been permitted by the Canadian government to build out the proposed Nova Scotia whale sanctuary, suitable for retiring captive orcas and beluga whales.
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Trixie Concepcion heads up our active office for dolphins in the Philippines. A major tuna fishing nation, plus an island nation with many local cetaceans, provides opportunities for Trixie and her staff to tackle major environmental issues in that country and the Western Pacific Ocean.
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Marineland in Ontario, Canada, was denied permits to export 30 captive beluga whales to China, so now the park is threatening to euthanize the belugas, rather than work with environmentalists to transfer the belugas to a seaside sanctuary. The New York Times reports.
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Campaign Top News
- International Marine Mammal Project >
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From pushing for sanctuaries for Wikie & Keijo and 30 beluga whales, to opposing attempts to gut the Endangered Species and Marine Mammal Protection Acts, to protecting wetlands in the Barataria basin, the International Marine Mammal Project has accomplished a great deal in 2025 for whales and dolphins.
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What is it like being a student intern at the International Marine Mammal Project? An internship can be life-changing for a student. Our intern Jillian talks about her experience with IMMP.
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From battling the whaling industry in Japan and Iceland, to exposing the continued slaughter of dolphins in Taiji, Japan, to saving the lives of tens of thousands of dolphins annually through Dolphin Safe tuna, the International Marine Mammal Project has accomplished a lot in 2024.
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- Save Japan Dolphins >
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Pilot whales are intelligent dolphins swimming off the coast of Taiji, Japan, but to the dolphin hunters, they are just so much meat to sell -- meat contaminated with mercury, not fit for human consumption. Kunito Seko caught the tragedy on film.
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Like many aquariums in Japan, Shimonoseki Aquarium has purchased live dolphins from the bloody dolphin hunts of Taiji, Japan. Live dolphins are torn from their families for a life in small concrete tanks, begging for food. Kunito Seko provides photos of these dolphins, performing tricks in sight of the freedom of the ocean.
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The tragic slaughter of dolphins in Taiji, Japan, continues. Kunito Seko, resident activist in Taiji and a skilled photographer, captured the tragedy in his photo of a young dolphin being grabbed by three dolphin hunters, to be torn from her family for a grim life in concrete tanks.
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- Dolphin + Whale Project >
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UPDATE: The Trump administration is again proposing weakened regulations that threaten the protection of endangered species, including whales, dolphins, sea otters, and polar bears. Help stop the weak regulations by commenting on our blog.
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Oil drilling off our coasts? ALL our coasts? The Trump administration's push for "Drill, Baby, Drill" will result in "Spills, Baby, Spills," unless we object. Read our blog on what you can do to fight expanded offshore oil drilling.
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The gray whale population has declined precipitously in recent years, leading scientists to propose that the species be relisted on the US Endangered Species list. The International Marine Mammal Project helped organize a letter signed by 25 marine scientists in support of gray whale listing.
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- Keiko Whale Rescue >
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Like most cetaceans, beluga whales do poorly in captivity. Many are now kept in aquariums around the world -- some get stranded once the aquarium or park goes broke and shuts down. Learn about the beluga whale, and why it is a bad idea to keep them in small concrete tanks.
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We are deeply saddened at the death of orca whale Tokitae. Calls for her release were denied for decades and it’s shameful that she never got a chance to go home.
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30 years ago, the movie "Free Willy" was a huge hit. The plight of its orca star, Keiko, touched the public along with the moving story. Read how the International Marine Mammal Project took that spark of concern and returned Keiko to his home waters. SeaWorld and other captive dolphin parks would never be the same!
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- Dolphin Safe Fishing >
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Trixie Concepcion heads up our active office for dolphins in the Philippines. A major tuna fishing nation, plus an island nation with many local cetaceans, provides opportunities for Trixie and her staff to tackle major environmental issues in that country and the Western Pacific Ocean.
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Since 1990, the International Marine Mammal Project has worked to pressure tuna companies to adopt Dolphin Safe fishing standards. Learn more about our Dolphin Safe program, which saves the lives of an estimated 90,000 dolphins annually.
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Nobody knows more about sustainable fishing and Dolphin Safe tuna than Dr. Paolo Bray, IMMP's European Director for our Dolphin Safe tuna program, based in Milan. Paolo is also the founder and CEO of Friend of the Sea. Read about his work to protect dolphins and maintain fisheries in a healthy state.
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- Freeing Orca Whales from Captivity >
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Four captive orcas died in their concrete tanks in 2025, never to see or feel the ocean ever again. This tragic death march will continue until all captive cetaceans are retired to seaside sanctuaries. Learn about Katina, Kshamenk, Earth, and Kamea -- all dead.
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In a major step, the French government has recommended that Wikie and Keijo, two orcas left in a closed marine park, should be retired to the Whale Sanctuary Project's sanctuary in Nova Scotia. Hope for freeing Wikie and Keijo from their deteriorating tanks.
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TAKE ACTION: Thirty beluga whales are still stranded in Marineland, Canada, which has permanently closed, leaving these whales' fate up in the air in small concrete tanks. You can help free them to the new seaside sanctuary in Nova Scotia if you would like to call today.
- More Stories >
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- Freeing Wikie & Keijo >