Worldwide, 3,600 whales and dolphins are held captive in aquariums. These gentle giants aren’t entertainment — they deserve freedom. Donate and learn more.
The documentary Blackfish made waves in 2013 for exposing the inhumane conditions in captivity that led the famous orca, Tilikum, to kill three people. Despite the documentary’s wide critical acclaim and support, a decade later orcas (and other whales) continue to face threats to their health and wellbeing because they are trapped in aquariums.
- 59 orca whales and more than 300 beluga whales are held in captivity.
- Orcas in captivity were found to live 13.4 - 21.3 years in captivity, versus their lifespan of nearly 50 years in the wild.
- The bottlenose dolphin and the orca are most commonly found in captivity due to their intelligence and ability to learn tricks.
- In the wild, orcas can travel up to 100 miles (160.93 km) a day. A bottlenose dolphin can travel up to 80 miles (128.74 km) a day. It’s impossible to create a healthy habitat for either of these whales in an aquarium.
- Whales in captivity are subject to bacterial diseases, like Nocardiosis. They also experience behavioral changes — leading to tragedy, as shown in Blackfish.
Whales deserve the OCEAN, not an aquarium. Donate to VAKOVAKO to be a part of the effort to help whales swim freely. 100% of your money goes to organizations like Sea Shepherds, Oceana, and Ocean Conservancy, who are working tirelessly for a brighter future for our OCEANS.
