2026 One Health Innovations Vol 4 Issue 1 The Price of Performance: Captive Marine Mammal Entertainment and the Wicked Problem of Non-Human Animal Exploitation

Vollständiger Abstract

Worum geht es in dieser Arbeit?

Marine mammal theme parks in North America have long been marketed as opportunities for public education and entertainment. While operators and developers argue that these facilities provide conservation benefits, increasing evidence from non-human animal welfare science challenges this narrative. Psychological, physiological, and ethical consequences have been observed as a result of confining highly cognitive non-human animals for performance-based entertainment. Using the One Health framework, this article aims to review existing research on the exploitation of non-human animals in entertainment and its consideration as a “wicked problem” among stakeholders, as well as to discuss the impact of grassroots organizations in mitigating this problem with a particular focus on TideBreakers. Approaching this issue from a multidimensional lens helps to highlight the interconnected nature of legal, economic, cultural, and infrastructural barriers shaping this wicked problem. Artificial Intelligence Statement: All authors attest that the submitted article is original work, completed wholly by the group without the use of generative artificial intelligence tools or similar technologies in the research, drafting, or editing processes.