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Thousands of people visit marine parks, buying a ticket to see dolphins and whales perform – but at what cost to the animals?  Caring about cetaceans means doing what’s right for them, not what’s right for us. 

More than 3,000+ dolphins and whales are held in tanks around the world, purely for the benefit of humans. A life in captivity for cetaceans may appear harmless, but the reality is very different.  Instead of a life in the wild where they live in close-knit family groups, travel great distances, and dive deep into their environment, dolphins and whales are forced to live in tanks a tiny fraction of the size of their natural home range, confronted by barriers in every direction.

Denied everything that is natural to them, these intelligent, social marine mammals suffer immense physical and psychological distress and damage – endless circling, tooth damage from bar/pool chewing, dorsal fin collapse, anxiety, frustration and depression – ultimately resulting in disease and premature death.

Marine Connection believes this is wrong and works hard to free dolphins and whales from a lifetime of captivity.

Captivity is a global issue – what we do

For the 3,000+ dolphins and whales in captivity around the world we are their voice.

HELP US END THEIR SUFFERING, MAKE A DONATION

Help us ban dolphin and whale captivity in the UK

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orca in captivity

Marine Connection works to:

  • Ban the capture of wild cetaceans for public display
  • End the breeding of dolphins and whales in captivity
  • Stop new facilities from being established
  • Close existing dolphin/whale shows
  • Inspect marine parks and dolphinariums
  • Assess conditions and raise concerns with authorities

We have been successful in:

Ensuring the UK remains free of captive dolphins and whales.

Stopping the importation of wild-caught beluga whales from Russia into Egypt.

Closing dolphin/whale shows in countries including Canada, Armenia and USA.

Exposing 300+ cases of wild capture and poor welfare of cetaceans in China.

But there is still much work to be done.

There should be ‘No Containment For Entertainment’

This must be the last generation of dolphins and whales held in confinement.

These gentle, sentient marine mammals suffer by being held in captivity. Help raise awareness by sharing these powerful and thought-provoking stories from our anti-captivity campaign.

Isla Mujeres, Dolphin Discovery, captivity, swim with dolphins, Mexico

Are you dreaming of swimming with captive dolphins?

Swimming with captive dolphins is on the ‘to do’ list for many holiday makers. These ‘experiences’ are promoted and sold by tour operators as a lifetime opportunity where you can have a one-to-one encounter with the animals.

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Whilst on the surface ‘swim with dolphins’ (SWD) activities may appear a harmless interaction, the truth is far darker, for both the dolphins’ concerned and paying customers. Dolphins are worked year-round, with no respite from tourists paying to touch/swim with them or be photographed with them. This constant exposure to the public, endless confinement in a small space (often concrete tanks), and never ending demand on them to ‘perform’, results in many dolphins developing stress-related diseases.  And the danger isn’t just to the dolphins, the public are at risk from injury and/or disease too. There are diseases which can pass from human to dolphin and vice versa and many documented cases of injuries to participants being bitten or butted by dolphins, incurring serious bruises and even broken bones.

If you love dolphins please do not add this activity to your ‘bucket list’.

Dolphin Assisted Therapy, dolphin healing, captivity, DAT, Lori Marino

What is the truth behind dolphin-assisted therapy?

Over the years dolphin-assisted therapy (DAT) has become increasingly popular, promoted as a method of treating individuals identified as having mental and/or physical disabilities, but do we have the right to use dolphins and turn them into therapists for the benefit of mankind?

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Marine Connection has always questioned the efficacy of DAT for several reasons but mainly, the notion that interacting with captive dolphins in a tank or sea pen has real healing effects, despite the fact that there is no scientific evidence proving a lasting effect for patients; and for the dolphins concerned, despite the fact that many themselves suffer with stress due to being held captive, are forced to interact with paying ‘clients’.

Claims made by facilities in support of DAT have been challenged by eminent scientists including colleague Dr Lori Marino who co-authored the following paper with the late Scott Lilienfeld.

THIRD TIME’S THE CHARM OR THREE STRIKES YOU’RE OUT – An updated review of the efficacy of dolphin-assisted therapy for autism and developmental disabilities