41 



clearly suffer enough to affect longevity and mortality rates and possibly as a result 

 of this suffering, captive breeding for these species has been unsuccessful. It is clear 

 that individuals of these species cannot handle the transition from the wild to cap- 

 tivity. 



We now have a high level of understanding of the social structures and behaviors 

 of marine mammal species in the wild. We know that most exhibit long-term famil- 

 ial bonds and in general are socially complex, long-lived, mentally sophisticated 

 creatures. Cetacean species may travel up to 50 to 100 miles a day, dive several 

 hundred feet deep, and spend only 20 percent of their time at the surface of the 

 water. The transition from their natural environment to captivity in a small con- 

 crete taiJt can only be unimaginably traumatic. A symbol of all that is wrong with 

 removing these animals from their natural environment is the collapsed dorsal fin 

 seen in many captive killer whales, probablv the result of spending more than half 

 of their time at the surface of their tanks. This phenomenon is observed in less than 

 1 percent of wild killer whales. The capture process itself, where animals are round- 

 ed^up, netted or lassoed, or driven into shallow water, snatched from family and re- 

 moved from the water, is incredibly cruel and stressful. 



The public has received the message of conservation and habitat protection. The 

 message can be reinforced through various media, such as wildlife videos and inter- 

 active displays. The public has realized that taking these magnificent creatures 

 from their natural home, to exist in sterile confinement, in circumstances wholly 

 alien to their experience, is no longer necessary for education and certainly not for 

 entertainment and in itself does not support a conservation message. 



CONCLUSION 



Because of their aquatic environment, complex social structures, and intelligence, 

 marine mammals require special consideration in captivity and when interacting 

 with humans. The MMPA was designed to safeguard these special considerations. 

 We believe that the above amendments will ensure that the MMPA functions as it 

 was intended regarding captive marine mammals and marine mammals involved in 

 scientific research. We believe that these amendments will define a new and hu- 

 mane relationship to these animals for the future. Again, thank you for the oppor- 

 tunity to express our views. We are prepared to assist the committee in any way 

 on tWs issue. 



["Small Whale Species— The Case Against Captivity," by the Humane Society of 

 the United States may be found in the committee s files.] 



Senator Kerry. Thank you very much, Doctor. 



Mr. MacDonald, we have strategically placed you in between 

 these two gentlemen, because you believe in just watching them 

 where they are. So, we combined the best of watching and the best 

 of preserving them where they are, and we look forward to your 

 testimony. 



STATEMENT OF BRIAN MacDONALD, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, 



NEW ENGLAND AQUARIUM 



Mr. MacDonald. I will back out at that point if it is appropriate. 

 [Laughter.] 



Thank you. Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman. My name is Brian 

 MacDonald. I am associate director at the New England Aquarium. 

 I am speaking today on behalf of the Northeast Whale Watching 

 Association, or NEWWA, which represents privately owned whale 

 watching companies, naturalists, research scientists, and edu- 

 cational and research institutions. 



I would like to provide you with some background on the whale 

 watching community in support, and in the relevance, to the 

 MMPA, including the contributions whale watching has made to 

 science education, public awareness, economic value, research, and 

 enforcement. Whale watching was fairly insignificant in volume in 

 the late-seventies and early 1980's, until there was an increased 



