Keeping Orcas In Captivity Essay

Is it finally time to stop keeping orca whales in captivity? An orca whale is expected to live 30-50 years but in captivity the average lifespan is 13 years, that's a big difference. Keeping orcas in aquariums deprives them of crucial aspects of their lives, and in some cases it can even prove dangerous to humans. Conservation groups are once again are trying to keep orcas, and other large marine mammals, in captivity. "In captivity, we force this artificial proximity to human beings, so the orcas do act out once in awhile and kill you," says marine mammal scientist Naomi Rose of the Animal Welfare Institute in Washington, DC. Orcas are also known as killer whales, but they are actually dolphins, not whales although both whales and dolphins belong to the same group, the cetaceans. SeaWorld has not captured a wild orca for 35 years, instead breeding them in captivity. Today 56 orcas remain in captivity, part of a total of …show more content…
But the orcas behave differently in captivity than they do in the wild, so they cannot thrive in theme park settings, according to Lori Marino, a neuroscientist by training who now supports animal rights at the Kimmela Center for Animal Advocacy. Captive orcas do not live as long as their wild orca family and have lower survival rates. There is now evidence to suggest the captive orcas do not live as long as their wild orca family and have lower survival rates. A study published in 2015 presents evidence that orcas in captivity live shorter lives than orcas in the wild. The orca in “Free Willy” was "played" by a captive orca named Keiko. Taking a cue from Springer's story, there are now efforts to try and create sea pen