On Marineland In Niagara Falls, Ontario – Cleaner Water May Be Good, But The Real Question Is Whether These Animals Belong In Captivity

A Submission to NAL from Catharine Ens, a veteran advocate for animals in Niagara, Ontario.

 Marine mammals have evolved over millions of years and are an integral part of a complex and diverse marine biology on our earth.

Animal activists demonstrate in front of Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

 To claim they are given ‘the perfect environment’ in an amusement park like Marineland elicits the question – ‘Can the ideal environment of these sophisticated mammals really be imitated within the confines of a concrete tank? How can their natural existence be duplicated when, in the wild, (depending upon species) these animals can travel up to a hundred miles each day, swim speeds at speeds of more than 30 miles per hour,  and dive thousands of feet below the surface of their ocean environment.

There is considerable evidence to show that marine mammals have shorter life expectancies in captivity than they do in the wild. So if facilities like Marineland are claiming ‘conservation’ as a defense for captivity, it is simply an excuse; profit from ‘entertainment’ is more likely the motivator.

Conservation would also entail putting animals back into protected wild areas and very few, if any, are doing this. Species can be conserved only as part of their entire ecosystem – habitat conservation is the only way in which effective conservation can be realized.

To claim ‘education’ is also questionable, given the circus-like quality of the shows at places like Marineland. And when children see animals as dependent upon humans, rather than as competent and independent beings, this is surely a negative educational message.

I believe the keeping of animals in captivity sends a damaging message to the general public and particularly to children…..the message seems to be that animals can be kept in captivity to satisfy our own curiosity and amusement, however, the animal gains no benefit from this practice.
Some years ago, a study was undertaken at an aquarium in Australia regarding its ‘educational’ value. The outcome in the quasi-educational setting of an aquarium was that a noticeable change of attitude towards animals – prior to and after exposure – was negligible at best.

The idea of imparting a positive feeling towards wildlife is indeed educational. But I think it would be safe to say most people that visit places like Marineland already have a positive feeling about marine mammals. The average visitor doesn’t need that public relations snow-job – Marineland may be a great money maker, but I doubt that its educational value is positive or significant.

Finally, I have heard the line that captive animals are emissaries of their species and that most people would never have a chance to see these animals anywhere else. But what does one see but a parody of the animal that once was? Everything that defines these magnificent animals in their natural habitat has been taken from them. 

By virtue of their captive state, these animals do not behave as their wild counterparts and we only see a distorted view of the animals. Their true nature has been denied, depressed and deprived.

For more than 20 plus years, I’ve been trying to get the attending public to understand that these animals do not belong in captivity.

I maintain that Marineland and other places like it cannot meet an animal’s natural physical, social, behavioral and emotional needs and therefore the animals welfare is severely compromised. I’ll keep trying!

Catharine Ens is a longtime animal advocate in Niagara, Ontario and member of Niagara Action for Animals, a non-profit, all-volunteer charity devoted to ending all forms of animal cruelty through education, direct action and legitimate protest.

You can learn more about the Niagara Action for Animals by clicking on its website at http://www.niagaraactionforanimals.org/

 You can learn more about Marineland, which has always insisted it has taken great care of its animals and that it provides an educational experience for its visitors by clicking on its website at http://www.marinelandcanada.com/ . Marineland owner John Holer has long maintained that opponents of the park have no basis for their claims and that the proof in the park’s success as a venue for animals remains in the countless number of people who spend money each year to visit the site.

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