Dolphins, porpoises, sea lions, and other marine mammals in captivity face welfare challenges from spatial restriction, social disruption, and performance demands. Reform is advancing but incomplete.
Marine mammal captivity raises fundamental welfare questions about the suitability of aquatic park environments for species with large natural ranges, complex social structures, and sophisticated cognitive abilities. Dolphins and other small cetaceans in captivity cannot express natural behaviors including hunting, extended swimming, and complex social interaction. Performance demands in shows create training welfare challenges and exposure to conditions — noise, crowds, and confined staging areas — that cause stress. The trend toward national captivity bans in Canada and some European countries reflects growing recognition that the welfare compromise cannot be justified by entertainment value. Facilities that have transitioned to large ocean pens or eliminated cetaceans entirely demonstrate viable alternatives.