Cetaceans in marine parks and dolphinariums usually participate in shows and performances for visitors, exhibiting tricks to loud music to impress the crowd.
The captivity industry often claims that the tricks performed during these shows are cetaceans’ ‘natural behaviours’. Although some are modified from what you may see in the wild, in the ocean, the animals do not have to perform tricks in return for food.
Here are some ‘behaviours’ that you can see cetaceans execute in captivity that would not routinely be seen in the wild.
BEHAVIOURS YOU WON'T SEE IN THE WILD
Balancing Balls On Their Rostrums
Jumping Through Hoops
Swimming With Balls Between Their Pectoral Fins
Spinning Hoola-Hoops Around Their Rostrums
Kissing People With Their Rostrum
Sliding Along Hard Surfaces
Spinning And Putting Pressure On Vital Organs
Having People Stand On Their Backs To 'Surf'
Hitting Balls Suspended In The Air
'Dancing' Or Walking On Their Tailstock
Towing Boats With Children In Them
These tricks are demeaning and circus-like, in which the use of animals is now largely frowned upon with several countries banning the use of wild animals in circuses altogether. Why should it be any different for a dolphin?
EDUCATION OR ENTERTAINMENT?
The captivity industry often claims that keeping cetaceans in tanks is important for educating the public; however, none of the tricks listed above demonstrate behaviour in the wild.
Facilities may also claim that they conduct valuable research on captive cetaceans to benefit their wild counterparts. Still, the results of any research undertaken on captive individuals are difficult to apply to those in the wild, as life in captivity is drastically different.
Performances are motivated by food: the cetaceans would not fulfil these tricks if there was no food present. Furthermore, the food they are given is thawed fish which lose nutritional value when frozen, highlighting another difference in their lives from the wild.
Keeping cetaceans in captivity often is marketed as education, but the prevalence and nature of dolphin shows suggest that they are merely a form of entertainment, usually driven by profit.
