The captivity of whales and dolphins in marine parks raises serious welfare concerns, with growing scientific consensus that these highly intelligent animals cannot thrive in confined pools.
The evidence against cetacean captivity from a welfare perspective is compelling. Orcas and dolphins are cognitively complex, socially sophisticated, and acoustically sensitive animals that live in vast oceanic environments. Even the largest marine park tanks represent a tiny fraction of wild ranges. The aggression between incompatible social groups forced together by captivity, the psychological effects of confinement, and the physical health problems of captive cetaceans all point to fundamental incompatibility between these animals needs and what captivity can provide. The trend toward ending cetacean captivity reflects genuine moral progress.