Do dolphinaria participate in conservation and research the same way zoos do? How many of the animals get released back into the wild?
Media attention on controversial captures, unnecessary deaths, and inhumane transportation of dolphins is having an impact upon the public’s perception of dolphin theme parks. Recent opinion polls reveal that most people now think the captivity of marine mammals is justified only when there are measurable educational or scientific benefits. In order to validate their existence, dolphin theme parks disguise their entertainment focus as being ‘educational’. In reality, viewing captive animals gives the public a false picture of the animals’ life and provides no educational value. Worse yet, it desensitizes people to captivity’s inherent cruelties. Many captive facilities also claim to focus on conserving the species. In fact, less than 5-10% of captive facilities are involved in dolphin conservation programs to reintroduce captive-bred animals into the wild. The amount spent on these programs is a mere fraction of the income generated by these facilities. Facilities may promote themselve
