We would like to announce the publication of our peer-reviewed paper: The Harmful Effects of Captivity and Chronic Stress on the Well-being of Orcas (Orcinus orca) by Lori Marino, Naomi Rose, Heather Rally, Ingrid Visser, Hope Ferdowsian and Veronica Slootsky in Journal of Veterinary Behavior.
The link to the full paper is here: https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/content/uploads/Marino-et-al-2019-Chronic-stress-in-captive-orcas.pdf Abstract Orcas are large, deep-diving cetaceans who are known for their global distribution, wide-ranging behavior, intelligence, and social complexity. They possess one of the largest and most complex brains in the mammalian kingdom. However, they are the third most common species of cetaceans kept in aquariums and marine theme parks. Most spend many years, and sometimes decades, in captivity. At the time of writing, 63 individuals are held in concrete tanks globally. The scientific data on how both wild-caught and captive-born orcas fare in captivity is increasingly robust in demonstrating that they cannot thrive under artificial circumstances in concrete tanks. In captivity, orcas exhibit a wide range of abnormal behaviors and often die at an early age from infections and other health conditions that are uncommon in a wild setting. Though numerous papers and reports describe these adverse effects, they do not offer a clear and systematic explanation for why captive orcas suffer chronic stress and how it affects their well-being. We describe likely mechanisms for the high levels of morbidity and mortality in captive orcas, including the impact of chronic stress on physiology and illness. We conclude that orcas are poor candidates for maintenance in captivity and suggest that a radical shift is required in their treatment, in order to meet their complex needs. Contact: Lori Marino marinol...@outlook.com
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