Sea turtles are kept in public aquariums for display and in rehabilitation centers for treatment, with very different welfare implications in each context.
Sea turtle welfare in captivity depends greatly on the purpose. Rehabilitation centers holding injured or sick turtles for treatment provide temporary care aimed at release, accepting the welfare compromise of captivity as a short-term necessity for survival. Most turtles released after successful rehabilitation survive and some have been tracked for years. Display aquariums keeping sea turtles long-term require very large tanks with appropriate water quality, varied diet, and behavioral enrichment to meet their welfare needs. Old aquarium tanks are often too small for the powerful swimming movements of sea turtles. Sea turtles in inadequate tanks develop swimming behavior impairments. The education value of display turtles must be weighed against their welfare compromise.