Dolphins in Captivity

Dolphins are a very intelligent mammal found in every ocean around the world except for the Arctic and Antarctic oceans. Dolphins kept in captivity in some cases are deprived of their basic needs necessary for survival, solely for entertainment purposes. Contrasting with dolphins in the wild, captive dolphins spend only 20% of their time under the surface. The mental, emotional and physical stress that a captive dolphin suffers can weaken their immune system making them prone to diseases. Resorts in the Caribbean and places such as SeaWorld capture these dolphins and use them to entertain individuals of all ages from around the world. What the public is unaware of is the mistreatment and cruelty that takes place behind closed doors within these immoral facilities.

These dolphins are ripped from their natural environments and taken away from their families by cynical individuals who have no morals nor respect for any living being. One of the sins of dolphins being in captivity is how they’re captured to begin with. The majority of dolphins hunters seek out pods with an abundance of dolphins. Dolphins are herded by helicopter and in occasions, explosives, into an area where a boat captures one or more by net. Once the wild dolphins are in the net, it closes forming a purse is shape. This may cause some of the dolphins to drown. What is left of the dolphins is left dead laying in the net. The method of disposal used to get rid of these dolphins is to cut them open and fill the deceased dolphins with rocks, they are then drowned to the bottom of the ocean floor. Pulled into the harsh air where water doesn’t cushion their bodies, the captive dolphins experience difficulties breathing. Their skin must be rubbed with lotion and saturated with water so that it doesn’t dry out. The dolphins are then transported for hours, unable to move, to a tank filled with chlorinated water instead of the salt water they’re used to. Remarkably the dolphins for the most part survive this. In nature, dolphins swim vast distances every day with their extended families, exploring new places and seeking out adventures and pursuits. Dolphins in captivity are confined to tiny tanks and see the same concrete walls every day of their lives. These dolphins, comparing with dolphins in the wild, spend only 20% of their time under the surface. Dolphins navigate by echolocation, but in pools, the reverberations from their own sonar bounce off the walls. Captive dolphins demonstrate a variety of stress-driven behavior, including self-inflicted injuries, aggressiveness, and neurotic behavior. At least 50% of the dolphins in captivity will die in less than seven years. This is significant given the fact that they are kept in an environment that is free of predators, pollution and other threats that they face in the wild. Regardless that the dolphins we see captive worldwide seem to be happy, scientists believe that their boredom among with various health problems