The Controversy Surrounding Killer Whales in Captivity
The differences and variations that can be observed among the populations of killer whales that live in the wild and those that are in captivity have presented significant points of contention as well as the scientific debate for many years. Even though there are many factors that can influence the wellbeing of an animal regardless of its habitat, most activists use the discrepancy between the life expectancy of wild and captive animals as evidence that killer whales should not be captured or bred by human beings (Callaway). However, even in the wild, killer whales also encounter several challenges that may shorten their lives.
Longevity of Killer Whales in the Wild
Generally, killer whales in the wild tend to live significantly longer than those that live in captivity. The age range for killer whales that live in the wild is stipulated to be between 50 and 80 years (Robeck et al.). The oldest recorded age of a killer whale that lived in the wild was 103, and this was a female orca. Female orcas have been known to live longer than males in the wild (Matkin et al.). On the other hand, the average lifespan of killer whales that live in captivity has not been agreed upon since the creatures were first displayed at a human exhibition in 1965. However, according to PETA, the lifespan of an orca declines significantly when the animal lives in captivity (Franks et al.). The currently stated age for captive killer whales is twelve years.
The Impact of Captivity on Killer Whale Lifespan
The lifespan of a killer whale appears to extend significantly in the wild as opposed to living in captivity. The pressures of survival in captivity coupled with the stress of solitude for orcas, which are known to be social beings that may live in family settings for life, significantly reduce the number of years that the captive killer whales survive. In the end, this goes to say that the animals deserve to be allowed to live in natural settings and not to be used as objects of admiration in human exhibitions.
Works Cited
Callaway, E. "Scientists clash over lifespan of captive killer whales." Nature 531.7595 (2016): 426-427.
Franks, D. W., et al. "The significance of postreproductive lifespans in killer whales: a comment on Robeck et al." Journal of Mammalogy 97.3 (2016): 906-909.
Matkin, C. O., et al. "Life history and population dynamics of southern Alaska resident killer whales (Orcinus orca)." Marine Mammal Science 30.2 (2014): 460-479.
Robeck, T. R., et al. "Comparisons of life-history parameters between free-ranging and captive killer whale (Orcinus orca) populations for application toward species management." Journal of Mammalogy 96.5 (2015): 1055-1070.
