Dart the Dolphin (2004-2016)

SeaWorld San Antonio reported his death in the wake of two other deaths–that of an 18-year old orca and a 2-year-old beluga whale. While the cause of Dart’s death is unclear, captive marine mammals are known to frequently face exposure to human infection, bacteria, and chemicals, and to suffer from stress-related illnesses.

The typical life span of wild Pacific white-sided dolphins is more than 40 years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Records of births and deaths of marine mammals maintained by the tourism industry are only made available to the public on a voluntary basis, meaning the exact average life span of captive dolphins and whales is not known. But seemingly healthy and normal captive cetaceans die at relatively early ages on a regular basis, usually with little or no warning and due to causes very different from their wild counterparts. In short, very few captive dolphins live to an old age and, even if they do, they perform until they are unable to. 

If you love whales and dolphins, our advice is simple: don’t buy a ticket to see them in captive performances. Protect marine animals by supporting the SWIMS Act, which would phase out the exploitation of orcas, beluga whales, pilot whales, and false killer whales by making it illegal to capture and breed these animals for public display.