Aquaria: Life Confined to a Bathtub

Animals in aquaria also suffer. Fish and other marine animals used to swimming freely in vast oceans are confined to small tanks in which they can swim only in endless circles. Often the tanks are barren, containing no sand, no rocks and no plants—nothing that remotely resembles the fish’s natural homes. Fish in aquaria are also subjected to the constant glare of artificial lights and droning of pump motors, and they may be confused by the glass, not recognising it as a barrier, and sustain facial injuries from swimming into it.

Dolphinaria, marine mammal parks where dolphins and other animals are forced to perform tricks to entertain visitors, are among the cruelest displays of captive animals. Dolphins navigate by echolocation, bouncing sonar waves off objects to determine their shape, density, distance and location. In a tank, says Jean-Michel Cousteau, dolphins ‘are bombarded by a garble of their own vocalisations. … Because these are sounds of communication as well as navigation, their world becomes a maze of meaningless reverberations.’ Dolphins are highly social animals who, in their ocean homes, swim together in ‘pods’ of three to 10 individuals—or tribes of hundreds; they may swim up to 100 miles a day. Throwing dolphins into concrete tanks is like imprisoning them in virtual bathtubs. The stress of captivity also weakens dolphins’ immune systems—negating purported benefits such as veterinary care and regular meals—leading to illness or even death. At least three dolphins have died in Asia’s first dolphinarium, Mabalipuram in Tamil Nadu.

Please do not patronise zoo, aquaria and dolphinaria. If no one visits these sad displays, they will eventually be forced to close down.