Cetacean Database

Living, US & Canada

As of June 18, 2019 10:37, there are approximately 604 captive whales and dolphins in human care in the US & Canada. Of this total, 123 (20%) were acquired through capture, 444 (74%) are the result of captive births and 37 (6%) are the result of rescue and were declared unreleaseable. They are exhibited in 34 facilities, 32 in the U.S. & 02 in Canada, for the purpose of public display and research.

A total of nine species are exhibited including hybrids and listed by the majority with the number of individuals in parentheses, they are: bottlenose dolphins (464), beluga (83), killer whales (22), Pacific white-sided dolphins (18), rough-toothed dolphins (7), short-finned pilot whales (4), Commerson’s dolphins (4), false killer whales (1) and Atlantic spotted dolphin (1).

Bottlenose dolphin numbers include 06 Tursiops hybrids and consists of individuals that are either direct crosses or backcrosses. Direct crosses from mating between two separate species resulted in three living animals; two occurred between a female bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops spp.) and a male long-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus capensis) and one from a female bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops spp.) and a male false killer whale. Backcrosses occurred in three individuals, two being a male hybrid (TtxDc) who sired a calf with a bottlenose dolphin and the second being a female hybrid (TtxPc) that produced a calf fathered by a bottlenose dolphin.

Note: The numbers on this page only represent animals known to Ceta-Base through the public domain and may not be 100% accurate. Issues with accuracy occur due to a lack of reporting and/or transparency from some facilities. Additionally, this list is not meant to replace any official documentation or information from rescue organizations, display facilities or government agencies.

List updated: June 18, 2019 10:37