In the wild, whales' life expectancy is 80 to 100 years. However in captivity, their life expectancy is about 25 years.
Most of the dolphins in captivity are born in the wild.
Dolphins are adapted to a saltwater environment, yet in captivity they are often kept in chlorinated tanks.
Captive dolphins are not able to perform their natural foraging behaviour.
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
Richard O’Barry, personal communication.
2 State of Florida.com (2006) Florida Quick Facts. http://www.stateofflorida.com/Portal/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=95.
3 SeaWorld, 2006. http://4adventure.com/SWF/default.aspx
4 Sun Sentinel (2004) Captive mammals can net big profits for exhibitors. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/sfl-dolphins-moneydec31,0,3712706.story?coll=sfla- home-dots-utility.
5 Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (2006) Arguments against captivity. http://www.wdcs.org/dan/publishing.nsf/allweb/975B92D775D79222802568DD0030A3B 4.
6 Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (2005) I Dream of Dolphins: New poll reveals majority of American adults would be interested in swimming with dolphins. http://www.ammpa.org/dream.pdf.
7 Rose, N.A. (2004) Captive Cetaceans: The Science Behind the Ethics. European Cetacean Society 18th Annual Conference. Kolmården, Sweden.
