As winter holidays approach, British tourists are being urged to reconsider visiting attractions featuring captive whales, dolphins, and porpoises. The international wildlife charity Born Free highlights that over 3,600 cetaceans are held worldwide for human entertainment, living in conditions that are far from their natural habitats.
These intelligent marine mammals endure a life of confinement, often performing unnatural tricks multiple times a day in overcrowded tanks or chemically treated pools. Born Free emphasizes the stark contrast between their miserable existence in captivity and their natural life, where they swim vast distances and dive deep.
Physical and psychological suffering in captivity can lead to premature death, disease, and injuries from interactions with humans. The charity notes that infant mortality rates are high among these animals, and many are subjected to forced breeding and drugged to manage stress-related behaviors.
Sarah Jefferson from Born Free urges holidaymakers to avoid supporting these attractions, stating, 'Whales and dolphins in captivity face a miserable existence in barren tanks and sea pens.'
Despite past successes in campaigning against cetacean captivity in the UK, more than 300 such animals remain in European Union countries, particularly in Spain. Recent incidents, such as the premature death of former SeaWorld orca Keto, highlight ongoing concerns.
Born Free's Tank-Free campaign encourages tourists to speak out against captive cetacean activities and to report sightings of these animals in captivity. The charity is also calling on travel companies to cease promoting these attractions and for governments to legislate against the practice.
Dr. Mark Jones from Born Free stresses the urgency of ending cetacean captivity for entertainment, urging travel companies to act responsibly and prioritize animal welfare.