Is there any justification for keeping or breeding cetaceans in captivity?

There are thousands of whales and dolphins being held in zoos and marine parks all across the world. An unsustainable industry, marine mammals are still taken from the wild to stock a growing number of captive facilities. These cetaceans are deprived of their freedom and choice in confined tanks, and are usually trained to perform unnatural behaviours or interact with people for 'educational' and entertainment purposes.

Captive facilities cannot replace the size and complexity of the natural environment that cetacea would normally experience in the wild. The stress of confinement can result in behavioural abnormalities, increased susceptibility to disease and illness, and reduced life expectancy than in the wild.

At the end of the day, it is not essential to see whales and dolphins in real life to understand and appreciate them. They do not belong in captivity in the zoos and marine parks, but in the oceans where they have the space and access to the natural environment.