Captivity is not about education or conservation, it is about one thing - profit.
It is a fact that marine mammals face many difficulties and dangers in the wild, however this simply does not justify keeping these wide ranging, sentient and social animals in a sterile, captive environment.
In the wild, dolphins and whales are not subjected to loud music, excited crowds of people, artificial light and air or concrete walls.
The facts are plain - most dolphins and whales are not born in captivity, and with breeding rates unable to meet the need to restock facilities, dolphins and whales continue to be captured from the wild.
Therefore if you genuinely have a love for dolphins and whales, you only have ONE choice. Please do not endorse keeping dolphins and whales in captivity by visiting these facilities.
By making this simple decision you are giving them a gift beyond measure, the choice to stay in the wild with their families and not face the stress of capture, captivity and early death.
Calls for review of UK legislation
on
dolphins & whales in captivity
Further Marine Connection reading on captivity issues ...
Dolphin & whale shows
Swim with Dolphin Facilities
Dolphin Assisted Therapy
What are the alternatives?
For other detailed reports and data, see under the Captivity
section in Papers & Publications
I am as a dolphin born
into a concrete pool;
Who has never known anything better
yet yearns for the open sea;
Perhaps a seabird’s feather
once landed in my pool;
And instinct knew the odour
of the place where I should be
(c) Laurence Frost