Planning a holiday in 2025? Make sure it’s Tank Free
A ‘holiday of a lifetime’ could mean a lifetime of horror for captive whales and dolphins forced to perform at some of the world’s most popular holiday hotspots.
Trapped, traumatised and forced to perform, Born Free’s important new campaign calls on tourists and the travel industry to help end the exploitation of captive whales, dolphins and porpoises for entertainment and create a ‘Tank-Free’ future for marine mammals.
As thousands of us look to banish the January blues by booking a winter sun or summer holiday, we’re urging tourists to back our ‘Tank-Free’ campaign and take some simple steps when booking excursions or on holiday:
- Don’t buy tickets to, or visit, dolphin and orca shows or attractions.
- Never take part in swim-with, selfie opportunities, and other interactive encounters.
- Tell tour operators and travel companies who promote and/or sell captive cetacean activities that these practices need to stop.
- Speak Out and report experiences involving captive cetaceans via Born Free’s Raise the Red Flag platform.
Dame Virginia McKenna, Born Free’s Co-Founder & Trustee, says: “Dolphins, whales and porpoises are magical, mysterious creatures, intelligent and perceptive. Yet we keep them cooped up in shallow, concrete tanks; in water treated with harsh chemicals, which irritate their eyes and sensitive skin. We force them to perform stupid, unnatural tricks, and interact with people. And this is meant to be ‘entertainment?’”
A ‘Tank-Free’ future is possible. Born Free has fought for the freedom of whales, dolphins and porpoises for the last 40 years, and will continue to do so until their exploitation in the name of entertainment stops.
What are the issues with captive cetaceans?
Around the world more than 3,600 whales, dolphins, and porpoises (collectively known as cetaceans) are held in captivity for human entertainment. These complex, highly intelligent creatures are kept in restrictive, barren, chemically-treated pools and over-crowded tanks, or trapped in shallow sea pens. They are made to perform repetitive tricks and display unnatural behaviours in front of crowds of tourists, often multiple times a day.
This cruel, confined existence is unimaginably different to their life in the wild. When free, marine mammals live in closely-bonded family groups, often swimming more than 100 miles a day and diving to depths of 300 metres.
Many captive cetaceans are further exploited by being forced to interact with visitors, swim with tourists or pose as ‘props’ for souvenir photos and selfies.
The incredible harm caused to captive marine mammals may not be immediately evident to holidaymakers who may only be visiting for a few hours, but these animals suffer physically and psychologically in many ways…
- Premature death and reduced resistance to disease.
- Often drugged as a way of controlling abnormal behaviour caused by boredom and stress.
- Physical harm such as tooth trauma from biting and hitting the sides of concrete pools or injuries caused by interaction with trainers and performing tricks.
- Injuries from human fingernails and jewellery, and irritation of sensitive skin and eyes from water purposely contaminated by chemicals, as well as make-up, perfume, and sunscreen.
- High infant mortality and reduced survival rates – animals are often forced to breed or subjected to artificial insemination.
What are the next steps towards a ‘Tank Free’ future?
© J McArthur, BFF
While tourists can influence real change, the responsibility for ending this exploitative and unethical industry does not lie solely with the public. Born Free strongly believes the travel industry and national governments must step up and do their part to protect these incredible creatures.
Travel companies and tour operators, across Europe and around the world, need to recognise that the public is increasingly rejecting the idea that keeping cetaceans in captivity is an acceptable form of entertainment, just as they have in the UK. They must put an end to the promotion and selling of excursions that are responsible for putting financial gain above animal welfare.
Born Free also wants to see countries commit to phasing-out the keeping of captive cetaceans through the introduction of legislation banning the practice. This phase-out would ideally see an end to animal imports, breeding, and a ban on building new, captive facilities. Any existing captive animals could then be assessed for their suitability for relocation to ‘seaside’ sanctuaries, where more suitable and natural space and facilities could be provided, and where they could either receive lifetime care or be rehabilitated for release back to the wild.
This is a wholly realistic vision which can be achieved if animal welfare organisations, the public, governments, and the tourism industry work together.