It is easy to observe the overall health and psychological consequences of life in captivity for these animals. Many captive elephants suffer from arthritis, obesity, or skin problems. Both elephants and orcas often have severe dental problems. Captive orcas are plagued by pneumonia, kidney disease, gastrointestinal illnesses, and infections.
Numerous fishes in an aquarium in Australia has stopped eating, while others are hiding in the dark corners of their tank due to the lack of human interaction after the aquarium was closed in March due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Honey, the 'World's Loneliest Dolphin' has died on March 29 after being abandoned in the same pool for two years in the shutdown aquarium, Marine Park Aquarium, in Choshi, Japan. 46 penguins and hundreds of fish and reptiles were left abandoned in the facility, with its owners left untraceable. To learn more about the story, click the link above.
Though animal rights activists have questioned the capacity of the aquarium and the living situation of the performers, SeaWorld researchers and trainers are proving that the company’s main concern is the health and well-being of the animals. And with a new decision that has suspended sea lion and sea otter shows in the weeks to come, SeaWorld’s employees are taking a stance for what they know is right.