Orcas in Human Care

A Killer Controversy

Killer whales living at marine mammal facilities have been at the heart of a decades-long controversy starting in the mid-1960s, and while scientific knowledge and innovation in animal husbandry have evolved greatly in that time, unfortunately, unscientific and dishonest claims surrounding killer whales and other cetaceans in human care have been pushed by well-funded "non-profit" groups seeking to end all animals in human care.

​This mass disinformation campaign caused the founders of The Orchive to step up and provide better resources to the general public to bring balance and honesty to the conversation. Note, however, that we are not in any way "apologists" for zoos or other animal facilities. We simply went where the evidence led us, which was to supporting modern, responsible care and keeping of animals, including cetaceans like killer whales.