Poll shows big jump in numbers of Americans opposed orca captivity
A new US poll commissioned by WDC together with the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) has shown that US public opinion is turning against orca captivity. According to the poll, half of Americans oppose the practice of keeping orcas in tanks, with only 21 percent in favour of captivity. The remaining people asked were undecided. In addition, 82 percent said that the inability of killer whales to engage in their natural behaviours while in captivity is a “convincing” reason to end this practice, with 57 percent saying it is “very convincing.”
An identical poll of 1000 adults in 2012 revealed 39 percent against and only 26 percent in favour. This year’s results indicate an increase of 11 percent in the number of Americans opposed to orca captivity.
