The captivity of Orca Whales first took place in the 1960s. At that time the whales were captured in their own habitat and then transported to aquariums and amusement parks around the world. Since then many were born and died in captivity. It is estimated that there are around 40 Orcas in captivity currently. Because Orcas are such social …show more content…
Dr. Naomi Rose, an outspoken marine mammal advocate has stated that putting an Orca in a cement tank renders the animal deaf and dumb. Because they use soundwaves to navigate and communicate, being confined in a cement tank is confusing because those soundwaves bounce off the walls of the tank rather than travel through water. Putting an Orca Whale in such a small space is like putting a human in a bathtub. The whales are put into small holding cages with strange whales from other pods. This results in whales attacking and even killing each other. In captivity 60 to 90 percent of Orcas develop dorsal fin collapse. Orcas in the wild typically live to be 30 to 50 years old. In captivity they live around 25 years. Because they are such social animals, more social even then humans, their health and mental state deteriorates