Captivity Industry: Top news
2023 is the 30th anniversary of the release of "Free Willy", the film that popularized the issues raised by keeping orcas in captivity in small concrete tanks. Dave Phillips, who spearheaded the rehabilitation and release of Keiko, the orca star of the movie, speaks to the BBC about the successful (and so far only) release of a captive orca.
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Plans are in place to bring Tokitae (also known as Lolita) back to her home waters in a seaside sanctuary in the Pacific Northwest. Read about the extraordinary group of people and organizations bringing this about. David Phillips discusses the implications.
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New seaside sanctuaries for dolphins and whales are open or in the process of being built -- providing a great, expansive home for captive and stranded cetaceans. The expense is high, but the results are well worth the price.
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The Miami Seaquarium owners have stated they are all in favor of efforts to move Tokitae, the female orca who has performed for 50 years, into retirement, possibly to a seaside sanctuary in her home waters. A major barrier to bringing her home has been removed.
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Another season of slaughter in Taiji, Japan, comes to an end. Many dolphins died over the past six months. Bottlenose dolphins get peculiar "special treatment," albeit not much better than the rest of the dolphins and small whales driven into the notorious Cove.
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The health records for captive orcas and other cetaceans should be open to the public -- the orcas, after all, do no belong to SeaWorld. They only hold them in trust -- the public are the real owners. IMMP is going to court to get some of those records for science and for the public.
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After years of effort, the Mirage Hotel Dolphin Habitat will be permanently closed, and the dolphins moved to another facility. What facility remains a question: Will it be a seaside sanctuary?
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A roundup of news about whaling by Iceland and Norway, Tokitae's health, and IMMP's efforts in Washington DC for whales and dolphins.
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IMMP's Philippines office protested the beginning of the Taiji dolphin slaughter season. They were joined by an Attorney Woo look-alike, and the media took notice!
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A pod of pilot whales and a pod of Risso's dolphins are now dead, having been slaughtered in just the first week of the notorious Taiji dolphin hunting season last week. The captures, often resulting in a lifetime of dolphin misery in captivity, and slaughter for meat will continue for another six months. WARNING: Graphic Photos.
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Campaign Top News
- International Marine Mammal Project >
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From pushing for sanctuaries for Wikie & Keijo and 30 beluga whales, to opposing attempts to gut the Endangered Species and Marine Mammal Protection Acts, to protecting wetlands in the Barataria basin, the International Marine Mammal Project has accomplished a great deal in 2025 for whales and dolphins.
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What is it like being a student intern at the International Marine Mammal Project? An internship can be life-changing for a student. Our intern Jillian talks about her experience with IMMP.
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From battling the whaling industry in Japan and Iceland, to exposing the continued slaughter of dolphins in Taiji, Japan, to saving the lives of tens of thousands of dolphins annually through Dolphin Safe tuna, the International Marine Mammal Project has accomplished a lot in 2024.
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- Save Japan Dolphins >
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Dolphin captures in Taiji, Japan, occurred on the first of Sept. Now follows 6 months of slaughter and capture of dolphins in the notorious Cove. Our colleague Kunito Seko documented the opening catch of bottlenose dolphins, all destined for a miserable life in captivity.
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The Taiji dolphin drive hunts have again ended, killing hundreds of dolphins for meat after removing "show quality" animals for a miserable life in captivity. Numbers were slightly higher this year for slaughter, although historically low compared to recent years.
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Three species of dolphins have been captured and slaughtered over the past month as the bloody Taiji dolphin drive hunts continue. Most of the dolphins you see in these photos are now dead. The hunts end on March 1st, but six months later, they will begin again.
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- Dolphin + Whale Project >
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A terrible "permit reform" bill now pending in the US Senate would gut the Endangered Species Act, delay protections for endangered right whales, encourage data centers, and block local action to prevent development projects. Contact your Congressmembers!!
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The Army Corps of Engineers planned to channel fresh water and sediment into the Barataria wetlands for 50 years, threatening wildlife and fisheries, including a population of bottlenose dolphins. Our lawsuit is at an end, and the project is dead. Read our blog.
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Things are bad for the declining gray whale population, but a recent symposium in Newport, Oregon, left a lot to be desired, as issues of policy and climate change were left behind in the discussions. Action is needed now!
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- Keiko Whale Rescue >
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Like most cetaceans, beluga whales do poorly in captivity. Many are now kept in aquariums around the world -- some get stranded once the aquarium or park goes broke and shuts down. Learn about the beluga whale, and why it is a bad idea to keep them in small concrete tanks.
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We are deeply saddened at the death of orca whale Tokitae. Calls for her release were denied for decades and it’s shameful that she never got a chance to go home.
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30 years ago, the movie "Free Willy" was a huge hit. The plight of its orca star, Keiko, touched the public along with the moving story. Read how the International Marine Mammal Project took that spark of concern and returned Keiko to his home waters. SeaWorld and other captive dolphin parks would never be the same!
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- Dolphin Safe Fishing >
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The US is now the biggest importer of seafood in the world, but the sustainability of many of the fisheries involved is highly questionable. The experience with the Dolphin Safe tuna label can help form better monitoring and protection for fish populations, as well as protect non-target species like marine mammals.
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Every year, we estimate that the Dolphin Safe label on tuna cans saves the lives of 90,000 dolphins annually in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean, and many more in other oceans of the world. You, as a consumer, should know how the Dolphin Safe label works to protect dolphins in global tuna fisheries.
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A new Marine Mammal Protection Act has been proposed for the Philippines, with strong support from our IMMP Philippines office, with the support of Representative Co. Read about this new legislation to protect endangered species like the Irrawaddy dolphin and other Filipino whales and dolphins.
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- Freeing Orca Whales from Captivity >
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IMMP opposed the transfer of belugas from Canada's Marineland to US aquariums. This so-called "rescue" has resulted in 30 belugas being moved to marine parks, but one has already died at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. How many more will the captivity industry kill?
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Thirty belugas in a closed park in Canada are scheduled to be sent to five aquariums in the US and Spain. IMMP is demanding a better review of their health before moving them and a ban on breeding them in captivity. Read our letter.
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The orcas Wikie and her son Keijo are still trapped in Marineland in France. Marineland wants the orcas to go to Loro Parque Zoo, an aquarium in Spain with one of the worst records of captive orca deaths. IMMP is urging the French government to instead retire Wikie and Keijo to a seaside sanctuary in Nova Scotia.
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- Freeing Wikie & Keijo >