Cetacean Sanctuaries: Do They Guarantee Better Welfare?
The SEA LIFE Trust Beluga Whale Sanctuary (BWS) has been in operation for over five years and serves as a unique case study to evaluate the effectiveness of marine sanctuaries for cetaceans. While cetacean sanctuaries are often regarded as a middle-ground solution between captivity and release, evid...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5636/6/1/4 |
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| author | Javier Almunia Marta Canchal |
| author_facet | Javier Almunia Marta Canchal |
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| description | The SEA LIFE Trust Beluga Whale Sanctuary (BWS) has been in operation for over five years and serves as a unique case study to evaluate the effectiveness of marine sanctuaries for cetaceans. While cetacean sanctuaries are often regarded as a middle-ground solution between captivity and release, evidence from the BWS highlights complexities in adapting cetaceans to these environments. Despite initial assumptions that natural conditions would inherently improve welfare, the belugas at the BWS spent the majority of the operational period (92.6%) in a conventional indoor pool, due to health and welfare concerns. Repeated delays, challenges in acclimatization, and distress-related conditions observed during periods in the bay suggest that natural environments alone may not guarantee improved welfare. Additionally, the lack of publicly accessible data on health and welfare outcomes hinders comprehensive evaluation of the sanctuary’s success and raises questions about transparency and evidence-based practices. This review underscores the need for refined sanctuary models, improved infrastructure, and structured adaptation programs tailored to species and individual cetaceans. It highlights the importance of robust planning, ongoing research, and transparency to meet the ambitious goals of marine sanctuaries in the best interests of the well-being of cetaceans under human care. These considerations also raise concerns about the decision to relocate captive cetaceans to marine sanctuaries, as the available evidence suggests that such environments may not inherently guarantee better welfare outcomes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-98a66df1980b45e1ba852ca92d777a5a |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2673-5636 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens |
| spelling | doaj-art-98a66df1980b45e1ba852ca92d777a5a2025-08-20T01:48:57ZengMDPI AGJournal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens2673-56362025-01-0161410.3390/jzbg6010004Cetacean Sanctuaries: Do They Guarantee Better Welfare?Javier Almunia0Marta Canchal1Loro Parque Fundación, Avda. Loro Parque s/n, 38400 Puerto de la Cruz, SpainLoro Parque Fundación, Avda. Loro Parque s/n, 38400 Puerto de la Cruz, SpainThe SEA LIFE Trust Beluga Whale Sanctuary (BWS) has been in operation for over five years and serves as a unique case study to evaluate the effectiveness of marine sanctuaries for cetaceans. While cetacean sanctuaries are often regarded as a middle-ground solution between captivity and release, evidence from the BWS highlights complexities in adapting cetaceans to these environments. Despite initial assumptions that natural conditions would inherently improve welfare, the belugas at the BWS spent the majority of the operational period (92.6%) in a conventional indoor pool, due to health and welfare concerns. Repeated delays, challenges in acclimatization, and distress-related conditions observed during periods in the bay suggest that natural environments alone may not guarantee improved welfare. Additionally, the lack of publicly accessible data on health and welfare outcomes hinders comprehensive evaluation of the sanctuary’s success and raises questions about transparency and evidence-based practices. This review underscores the need for refined sanctuary models, improved infrastructure, and structured adaptation programs tailored to species and individual cetaceans. It highlights the importance of robust planning, ongoing research, and transparency to meet the ambitious goals of marine sanctuaries in the best interests of the well-being of cetaceans under human care. These considerations also raise concerns about the decision to relocate captive cetaceans to marine sanctuaries, as the available evidence suggests that such environments may not inherently guarantee better welfare outcomes.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5636/6/1/4cetacean sanctuariesmarine mammal welfarebeluga whale adaptationcaptive cetaceanssanctuary effectiveness |
| spellingShingle | Javier Almunia Marta Canchal Cetacean Sanctuaries: Do They Guarantee Better Welfare? Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens cetacean sanctuaries marine mammal welfare beluga whale adaptation captive cetaceans sanctuary effectiveness |
| title | Cetacean Sanctuaries: Do They Guarantee Better Welfare? |
| title_full | Cetacean Sanctuaries: Do They Guarantee Better Welfare? |
| title_fullStr | Cetacean Sanctuaries: Do They Guarantee Better Welfare? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cetacean Sanctuaries: Do They Guarantee Better Welfare? |
| title_short | Cetacean Sanctuaries: Do They Guarantee Better Welfare? |
| title_sort | cetacean sanctuaries do they guarantee better welfare |
| topic | cetacean sanctuaries marine mammal welfare beluga whale adaptation captive cetaceans sanctuary effectiveness |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5636/6/1/4 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT javieralmunia cetaceansanctuariesdotheyguaranteebetterwelfare AT martacanchal cetaceansanctuariesdotheyguaranteebetterwelfare |