The welfare of dolphins, orcas, and other cetaceans kept in marine parks and aquariums is one of the most publicly debated and scientifically contested areas in animal welfare. Evidence increasingly challenges the viability of cetacean captivity.
The evidence base for poor cetacean welfare in captivity has strengthened considerably over recent decades. High cognitive capacity, complex social needs, vast space requirements, and the inability to express natural behaviors create a profound mismatch between captive conditions and evolutionary needs. Chronic stress manifests in stereotypic behavior, abnormal aggression, increased disease susceptibility, and shortened lifespan. The debate between 'conservation education' benefits of cetacean display and welfare costs is difficult to resolve but increasingly resolved in favor of welfare - particularly as evidence mounts that educational benefits of captive shows are marginal. Accredited sanctuaries providing large sea pen environments represent a welfare-positive transition for existing captive cetaceans who cannot be released.