Orca captivity has become one of the most contested animal welfare issues globally. Scientific evidence consistently indicates severe welfare compromise in captive settings.
The captive orca welfare case is among the strongest in the zoo animal literature. Orca require space, social complexity, and cognitive challenge that cannot be provided in any feasible captive setting. The suffering documented across multiple decades of captive orca welfare research — dental abnormalities from chewing on tank edges, collapsed dorsal fins, premature deaths, and severe stereotypic behaviour — demonstrates systematic welfare failure. Consumer decisions about marine park attendance are the primary lever for reducing this welfare harm.