Cetaceans in captivity face profound welfare challenges that have driven regulatory changes, public pressure, and a global debate about whether any marine mammal should be held in tanks.
The captivity welfare case for cetaceans is among the strongest in animal welfare science. These highly intelligent, long-ranging, socially complex animals experience profound deprivation in tank environments: sensory impoverishment from acoustically reflective concrete walls, social instability from mixing incompatible individuals, and physical confinement that prevents natural locomotion patterns. Behaviours wild dolphins and beluga whales spend hours performing daily — echolocation, hunting, complex social interaction — are impossible or severely constrained in captivity. The industry shift toward sea pen sanctuaries and education-focused institutions without breeding offers a more welfare-compatible future.