Cetaceans in research facilities face welfare challenges from confinement and social disruption. Emerging non-invasive research methods offer ways to study these species with significantly reduced welfare impact.
Captive cetacean research creates welfare costs that must be weighed against scientific value. The combination of confinement, social disruption, and cognitive under-stimulation causes chronic stress in animals with large natural ranges and complex social lives. The growing body of non-invasive research tools — from drone surveys to acoustic monitoring to AI image recognition — reduces the necessity of captive research substantially.