Marine Mammals and Captivity

Captive animals do not thrive in a small, contained environment the same way they would in the wild.  Capturing these animals purely for human entertainment and knowledge does not give an accurate depiction of the wonder and grace of these wonderful creatures.

Image Source

In captivity, marine mammals live almost fifty percent shorter lives than their wild counterparts (Save the Whales).  This may be due to the inadequately sized tanks these animals are given to live out their shortened lives.  The zoos and aquariums that care for these animals are rarely involved in substantial conservation programs to protect their captured animals.

Image Source

Proponents of marine mammal captivity claim that captivity is justified by the educational benefits provided by the captive animals.  However, not one study has been provided which can attest to these claims of the amusement parks that hold these animals.  Another argument for marine mammal captivity is that breeding is allowed to take place, and sometimes encouraged.  What proponents fail to consider is that as the populations of these animals in captivity grow, their tanks do not grow with them.  Tanks often become overcrowded, which leads to depression and sometimes violence in these captive animals.  Also, breeding in captivity has a higher mortality rate than in the wild, almost twenty-five percent more (Marine Mammals in Captivity: The Case Against Marine Mammals in Captivity). 

One final argument which captivity proponents claim is beneficial from keeping these marine mammals captive is that they have provided us with invaluable information for helping those marine mammals which are free in the wild.  This type of flawed logic is at the heart of every marine mammal debate.  Captive marine mammals have, in the past, led to great discoveries about these creatures, however, eventually that pool of knowledge will dry up, and it is one pool that I already believe has.  Captive marine mammals have provided us with information, but at what cost?

Overall, marine mammal captivity in our day and age just does not make sense.  Humans have gleaned all the knowledge I believe they will out of these captive animals and now just use them for entertainment.  Marine mammals have a right to be where they belong, which is in the ocean.  Taking them away from their rightful homes is inhumane and downright ignorant.  Capturing marine mammals for amusement is heartless and should not be tolerated.

Sources:

http://www.hsus.org/marine_mammals/what_are_the_issues/marine_mammals_in_captivity/the_case_against_marine_mammals_in_captivity.html

http://www.hsus.org/marine_mammals/what_are_the_issues/marine_mammals_in_captivity/

http://www.savethewhales.org/captivity.html