For animal advocates, it is well-known that cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) in captivity suffer immensely and are acquired by violent barbaric methods like those documented in the bloody greed-fueled Taiji dolphin hunts. And thanks to the critically-acclaimed documentary, Blackfish, which exposed the shocking reality behind cetacean captivity in marine parks like SeaWorld and Loro Parque, this issue has become a widespread public concern.

As extremely intelligent animals, life in cramped tanks causes severe psychological trauma, known as zoochosis, exhibited by compulsive behavior like pacing, thrashing their bodies against the tanks, and chewing on enclosures, which leads to broken and missing teeth. For creatures used to sprawling vast expanses of oceans with their pods, life in such tight quarters often leads to aggression and injuries amongst the captive animals. Collapsed dorsal fins and a plethora of physical health ailments are also the norm for captive cetaceans, and captive cetaceans live significantly shorter lives than their wild counterparts. Not to mention, captive cetaceans are forcibly impregnated and have their babies ripped away from them after birth, causing the mothers to cry out in ear-piercing cries for days, weeks on end.

Earlier this year, the Vancouver Park Board made the progressive decision to ban keeping any new cetaceans in captivity, except for in the case of rescue and rehabilitation. And now this is one step away from becoming a law across all of Canada! A petition has been set up for the public to share their voice with the lawmakers involved in this decision. If you would like to see Canada take a world leadership role on this pressing issue, please take a moment to send the petition letter, which you can do here.

Despite all the scientific and well-documented facts, there are still many people who are clueless to the suffering captive cetaceans endure, so please share this with your network as a reminder to never support marine parks that keep animals in captivity!

Image Source: Pixabay