What is it about?
Increasing concerns over the welfare of captive cetaceans (dolphins, whales, and porpoises) have led to calls for their transfer from marine parks and aquariums to sanctuaries. We describe an unprecedented collaboration to develop the first accreditation guidelines for authentic ocean sanctuaries to transform cetacean care.
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Photo by NOAA on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Over 3,500 cetaceans (dolphins and whales) live in entertainment parks. They commonly experience compromised welfare, infections, behavioral abnormalities, social disturbances, and shortened lifespans. These welfare findings, in combination with changing public opinion as well as the closing of dolphin and whale exhibits worldwide, is driving the call for habitat and care alternatives for captive cetaceans who do not have the survival skills to live in the wild. We propose that ocean-based sanctuaries for cetaceans, which more closely mirror the natural environment to which cetaceans have adapted over millions of years, could improve well-being and we have created the first professional document for defining and implementing authentic cetacean sanctuaries and science-based professional accreditation guidelines which were adopted by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) in 2023. This is a critical step in creating authentic ocean-based sanctuaries for captive cetaceans all over the world.
Perspectives
I've studied dolphins and whales for over thirty years and, in that time, came to know that these complex, intelligent, wide-ranging animals suffer tremendously in concrete tanks in marine parks. That is why I came together with other scientists and experts to create an alternative to entertainment parks - sanctuaries. We know that true sanctuaries provide improved welfare for many other wild animals, e.g., elephants, bears, big cats, etc. Now is the time to make this alternative available to cetaceans and begin the ending of keeping these animals confined to tanks for our entertainment.
Dr. Lori Marino
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Accredited ocean sanctuaries for transforming captive cetacean care, PLoS Biology, May 2025, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3003166.
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