In this somber video filmed this past November,  Sea Shepherd‘s Cove Guardians observed the lives of captive dolphins at Japan’s Adventure World.  The dolphins featured in this clip are from Taiji, Japan, but their suffering is the same as the dolphins, whales, and other marine animals held in captivity throughout the world.

Dolphins are some of the most intelligent creatures on Earth. When they are held in captivity where often, the only stimulation is putting on a show of mindless tricks, they often display signs of zoochosis (psychotic) behaviors, similar to symptoms of prison neurosis. Some stereotypic behaviors include swimming in circles repetitively, establishing pecking orders, and lying motionless at the surface or on the aquarium floor for relatively long periods of time. Some dolphins become so depressed, that they have been known to slam themselves against the sides of their tanks concrete walls as a form of self-harm.

The dismal scenes shown in this video are just further proof that a tank is no place for a whale or dolphin. It is up to us to keep these glorious animals wild and free.

To learn how you can Support Sea Shepherd on their mission to help break the cycle that flows ‎from Taiji to tanks, click here.