As a member of the zoo and aquarium industry, Sea World plays an integral role in animal conservation, threatened species recovery and breeding programs. Please see below an overview of Sea World’s position on a range of industry topics.
The health and wellbeing of the animals in our care is of the utmost priority at Sea World and we have a strong reputation for caring for marine animals. We apply the highest professional standards to the conservation, management and breeding of animals in our care, to environmental education, research, rescue and global conservation.
We are proud of our record of safety and care for animals and do everything possible to ensure the welfare of our animals and our team. Sea World is also an accredited zoological institution under the Zoo and Aquarium Association and is also regulated by multiple State and Federal Government agencies and remain dedicated to the continuous support of positive animal welfare through a science-based approach. Find out more about our animal welfare efforts here.
Sea World is very proud of its world class exhibits for dolphins including some of the largest filtered natural sand bottom lagoon systems in the world. The dolphins live in social groups and play and interact with each other as they do in the wild.
On average Bottlenose Dolphins can live to 23 - 30 years of age in the wild dependent on their environmental threats, but at Sea World we have had some Dolphins live to be beyond 50 years of age. This long life can be attributed to excellent husbandry, veterinary care, world class facilities and a lack of predators, all leading to longevity.
At this stage, Sea World does not believe sea pens or sanctuaries are a viable re-homing option for dolphins. There are too many unknown factors within the environment that could be of detriment to animals health and compromise their welfare including tidal issues, weather impacts, pollution, predation and overall animal protection.
The dolphins at Sea World live in natural, world-class sand-bottom lagoon systems where our team control water quality, temperature and can adjust the lagoon environment due to severe weather impacts such as heavy rain. We also have a dedicated team who provide excellent husbandry and veterinary care.
All of the dolphin breeding at Sea World is done naturally and is part of a carefully managed breeding program, which has been in place for many years.
The process of breeding from mating, gestation, calving and raising young is very important to the enrichment of the lives of not only the mother and calf, but the whole pod. Reproduction is a natural process which enriches the lives of the animals and helps contribute to positive welfare of the animals, which is our utmost priority.
The population of dolphins at Sea World are ambassadors for their wild counterparts and by breeding, we are enabling future generations to connect, learn and feel empathy towards dolphins and encourage change in behaviour towards protection of these animals in the wild.
Our aims are to support local and global marine conservation issues however we consider our priorities are those that fall in our local area. In an ideal world we would like for there to be no culling of sharks in Australia and around the world however, this is not a reality. We understand the pressure on governments to protect swimmers through the use of shark control programs.
We continue our rescue operations to save dolphins, whales and turtles that become entrapped within the shark control programs, along with working with the authoritative agencies to research improved methods which will lessen the impact on our marine life.
We have also recently partnered with the Queensland Government with their SharkSmart program installed in park to educate our guests on how to remain SharkSmart in the water and the new technologies being used to monitor sharks and keep people safe.
Sea World does not support Taiji or any other drive fisheries and no animals at Sea World have been sourced either directly or indirectly from Taiji.
Sea World has joined international zoological associations in their protests to prevent these drives from occurring.
Historically, there were 15 villages in Japan that followed this practice and gradually they have all ceased. We hope that with education and public pressure this will follow in Taiji.
Sea World houses an onsite Veterinary Quarantine Centre (VQC). The VQC is responsible for maintaining the health of resident animals at Sea World as well the treatment and care of rescued marine wildlife.
The VQC provides a high standard of care for a wide range of animals and has well-equipped veterinary facilities.
Sea World regularly contributes to scientific research and knowledge of marine animals including contributing to the national Zoo Based Wildlife Disease Surveillance Program. This research may be undertaken at Sea World or in the field.
Help support the Sea World Foundation by adopting an animal and help save Australia’s threatened species.
I’d like to receive exclusive offers, competitions & entertainment news from the Village Roadshow Group. I have read the Privacy Policy.
