Every day lived is another spent withering away in a concrete cell. Completing the tiring, monotonous routine is expected daily, regardless of whether you're up to it. Spending lifetimes longing for your loved ones, being forced to cohabit with strangers.
This is the cruel reality that orcas — killer whales — held captive in marine parks worldwide must suffer through. Day in and day out, these overwhelmingly large creatures, over 20 feet long, are encapsulated in minuscule tanks whose depths are not even double their size.
Plucking them out of their natural habitat has devastating consequences. Understanding the detrimental effects of their captivity can allow the public to make better-informed decisions about which institutions they should give money to.
As someone who once dreamed of becoming an orca trainer and has always been fascinated by these magnificent creatures, I have spent considerable time at marine parks like SeaWorld. I have also watched numerous documentaries, such as Blackfish, which expose the grim truth of what it means to hold these mammals captive.
In recent years, it has become increasingly evident that captivity has profoundly negative effects on the physical and psychological health of orcas. Recognizing these impacts, it is clear that we must take action to support and protect them.

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Get notified of top trending articles like this one every week! (we won't spam you)Physical Effects of Captivity
Marine parks' tanks offer only a fraction of the area where killer whales deserve to roam freely. In the wild, they can swim up to 400 miles daily and dive up to 500 feet; however, when imprisoned in tanks averaging 86 feet by 51 feet in size and a slender 34 feet in depth, they are compelled to swim in circles relentlessly.
This ceaseless torture reflects negatively on the health of the orcas. The lack of space, natural currents, and tides in these cages causes immense stress for the animals, leading to severe physical health problems.
For instance, the teeth of wild orcas are strong and durable, capable of tearing through any prey. Unfortunately, in captivity, they completely erode, as frustration drives them to chew on the bars and walls of their tanks. This can lead to infections and, ultimately, death if not treated, so vets often have to further drill their teeth as a preventative measure.
In addition to dental issues, the dorsal fins on their backs' midline are drastically hurt. Rather than standing up tall and healthy, they collapse. These fins are not made of bone but of collagen, creating a much denser tissue.
They are held upwards while in the ocean because orcas swim in straight lines at incredibly high speeds, pressuring the fin. But since they can't travel as swiftly and over equivalent distances in the tanks, there is not nearly as much pressure on their fins, resulting in them eventually drooping over.
To worsen the matter, captive orcas have significantly higher mortality rates. The Whale & Dolphin Conservation USAhas highlighted that "the death rate for captive orcas is 2.5 times higher than in the wild" due to a variety of factors. The combination of stress, poor diet, social isolation, and health-related issues lead to significantly shorter lifespans; most captive orcas die much younger than the average 50 to 90 years they survive in the wild.

Photo credit: JamesHills from Pixabay
Psychological Effects of Captivity
The psychological impacts of captivity on orcas are equally devastating. In the wild, killer whales live in pods, close-knit family groups that develop their own dialects, communication calls, and foraging techniques. These complex and distinct cultures passed down through generations are completely disregarded when the whales are transferred to marine parks.
In this artificial environment, orcas from different pods are placed together, disrupting their social dynamics and causing significant distress. Dr. Naomi Rose, a marine scientist, has even noted that these unnatural groupings can lead to aggression and dominance struggles.
Though family ties are paramount for these social animals, marine parks also separate mothers from their calves. This emotionally devastating experience equates to a mother losing her child, a nightmare that causes immense grief and sorrow. Many whales have fallen into states of depression as a result of these separations.
To illustrate, at SeaWorld, Kalina was sent to another facility and thus separated from her mother, Katina. Consequently, Katina, a less communicative whale, spent the entire night alone at the edge of her tank, trembling and producing agonizing screeches. Her profound despair echoed throughout her tank.
Similarly, Kalina from Loro Parque was separated from her 2-year-old daughter Skyla. After Skyla was craned out of the pool, Kalina subsequently began slamming into the gate that separated them, culminating in numerous severe lacerations displayed on her face.
Further, the lack of mental stimulation in these cells, where they're unable to hunt for their food or explore vast ocean territories, often leads to self-mutilation and hostility. For example, orcas in many different marine parks have attacked each other and attempted to drown their trainers — not out of inherent malice, but due to stress. These aggravations cause them to exhibit an abundance of other abnormal behaviors, including teeth grinding, listlessness, and excessive floating.
At times, orcas are portrayed in a negative light, but their behavior is simply a representation of the harmfulness of their environment.

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What Can Be Done to Help
Despite these challenges, there are steps the public can take to alleviate the suffering of captive orcas.
Increasing public awareness and starting movements against orca captivity can have a significant impact. In fact, public pressure has led several marine parks, such as the Miami Seaquarium, to phase out orca programs. Before Lolita, a whale held captive for over 50 years, passed away, they planned on releasing her.
Organizations like the Whale Sanctuary Project are also creating seaside sanctuaries to end the exploitation of these creatures. They are in the process of constructing a coastal sanctuary in Nova Scotia that more closely resembles cetaceans' natural habitat. These havens will "maximize [their] well-being and autonomy by providing these animals with markedly greater areas to explore."

Photo credit: Tovar from Unsplash
In essence, captivity for orcas is a tragic and unnatural existence. Forced to perform for spectators, these intelligent and social animals suffer physically and psychologically. The human desire for entertainment harms orcas beyond belief, so it is our responsibility to lessen the damage we have done.