Dolphins in Captivity
By Chloe Lee
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Aquariums and Dolphinariums display certain types of cetaceans (most commonly orcas, beluga whales, and bottlenose dolphins) for entertainment purposes and public performances. While young children and families may enjoy watching the dolphins, the dolphins themselves experience extreme stress and pressure behind the glass walls. Cetaceans are also frequently seen in zoos, where people do not take proper care of them. They often face inadequate living conditions, including insufficient medical conditions and poor environmental qualities.
Dolphins are known as highly intelligent and active mammals that travel long distances in the wild; however, the limited space causes depression and aggression, eventually leading to self harming behaviors such as banging heads or chewing on the tank walls in extreme cases. Lack of freedom also impacts their health. In the wild, dolphins swim between 20-30 miles every day. This helps to maintain their fitness and muscle mass, just like humans. However, the progressive decrease of movement and usage of their muscles causes health deterioration, including obesity. Due to the small space shared with multiple dolphins in aquariums, they are forced to swim in small circles to maintain their health at a similar level as in the wild. This could result in digestive problems or skin irritations.
Furthermore, separation with families and lifestyle with unfamiliar dolphins from different pods is another cause of depression and social isolation. Capturing the entire pod of dolphins from nature may not only leave physical and psychological impacts, but also devastating impacts on the ecosystem and the remaining dolphins. Dolphins being considered as keystone species, removing crucial members of the food chain will impact the stability of the social structure and potentially cause unpredictability on other changes in populations.
Many organizations such as Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) and International Marine Mammal Project (IMMP) have been trying to end the captivity of whales and dolphins, promoting donations and campaigns. They aim to release all cetaceans to the ocean or move them to a seaside sanctuary and provide a natural environment where marine species can live out their lives.
Works Cited
International Marine Mammal Project. “Why It’s Time to End Dolphin Captivity Once and for All.” International Marine Mammal Project, savedolphins.eii.org/news/why-its-time-to-end-dolphin-captivity-once-and-for-all#:~:text=In%20the%20wild%2C%20dolphins%20form,to%20social%20isolation%20and%20depression. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
Sophia. “Guardians of the Sea! A Dolphin’s Ecosystem Explored.” Bluewaveadventures.Com, 23 Aug. 2023, bluewaveadventures.com/guardians-of-the-sea-a-dolphins-ecosystem-explored/.
“Whale and Dolphin Conservation.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 27 May 2025, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_and_Dolphin_Conservation#:~:text=Whale%20and%20Dolphin%20Conservation%20(WDC,North%20America%2C%20Germany%20and%20Australia.
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