Arguments for captivity

The greatest argument for holding dolphins in captivity is public awareness. Very few people have the opportunity to see dolphins in the wild, but hundreds of thousand are able to see them at tourists attractions in the united states alone each year. For the conservation of dolphins, public awareness in a necessity. In the conversationalist community, the issue of captive breeding has come up. Captive breeding can be used to sustain populations of animals that may otherwise by endangered. It has been mostly successful with Bottle –nose dolphins and killer whales. It may be possible to create a self- sustaining captive population. In 1979, 18% of captive Bottle- nose dolphins were born in captivity. In 1983, that number jumped to 32%. Without having dolphins in captivity, we would not know much of what we know now about dolphins considering most research is done with in the tank environment. Data collected in captivity tends to be more detailed then of that from the wild population. Many of the tricks that dolphins are taught to perform are adapted from their natural movements and environment. For example, kicking a ball with its tail is similar to kicking a jelly fish out of the water.

Arguments against captivity

Dolphins in the wild have the ability to move from one group to another. In captivity, the dolphin is limited on space and to it tank mates. This can hinder the results of several experiments. They also argue that self sustaining populations have the inability to survive when put in the wild. Captive animals tend to live off of dead fish so when released into the wild they refuse to eat fresh fish. Some voluntarily return to their pen when the encounter schools of animals. Others attempt to join school to which they don’t belong and are hurt or even killed. The mortality rate of releases cetaceans is 15%. Animals in captivity suffer from boredom, bad food, lack of exercise, and poor food variety. There is also a concern that premature death and lack of breeding may increase the demand for captured dolphins. Dolphins in the wild have lived up to 50 years. When captured, most don’t make it through the first 2 years however if they do their life expectancy is 6 years.

There was recently an issue in Virginia Beach surrounding the dolphins. The Virginia Marine Science Museum planned on building a dolphin tank to hold at least 6 dolphin and several seals captive. The public’s opinion was anti-captivity. Through phone calls, letters and protests, they convince the Virginia Beach City Counsel not to funs the exhibition tank.

The marine explorer, Jacques Cousteau, did not agree with the capturing of dolphins. He believed that it was a study of “ denatured and perverted” (ptd. in Science and its Secrets p37) animals. He thought that dolphins in captivity did not act naturally therefore captive dolphins differ greatly from wild dolphins. Cousteau and the crew of the Calypso studies dolphins in the wild. “ In 25 years, they were only able to approach the same dolphin group twice” ( Science and its secrets)

Dolphins that have been held captive for lengths of time need to be deprogrammed before they can be released back into the wild. Two Bottle- nose dolphins held captive for 6 years in steal tanks (another unsuccessful experiment by for John Lilly) were rehabilitated by the Ocean Research and Communicational Alliance. The two dolphins ( Joe and Rosie) on “Flipper” were weaned from human dependency for the cost of $150,000 before they were released back into the wild.

The issue on weather or not it is ethical or unethical to keep dolphins captive still exists. Animal Rights Activists are fighting for its extinction before the dolphins themselves become extinct. For know, however it will still come second to the progression of science.