IS IT SAFE TO RELEASE WHALES AND DOLPHINS TO THE WILD THAT NOW LIVE IN ZOOLOGICAL PARKS AND AQUARIUMS?
The issue of releasing to the wild whales and dolphins that are currently cared for in marine life parks, aquariums, and zoos can be challenging both emotionally and scientifically. However, to experts concerned about the risks to which release exposes both the individual animal and the wild population, the issue is a simple one. Without a compelling conservation need such as sustaining a vulnerable species, release may be neither a reasoned approach nor a caring decision. The survival of marine mammals in the wild requires an elaborate series of skills including the ability to detect and avoid predators and forage for food. Many animal care experts believe marine mammals that have spent a substantial portion of their lives in zoological parks and aquariums most likely have lost their ability to find food. Additionally, the animals may have diseases that are transmittable to wild populations and may not be immune to diseases for which wild animals have immunities. A November 1992 repor
