Ahead of World Polar Bear Day, Action for Dolphins and World Animal Protection have launched a new report, No Substitute for the Wild, which exposes Sea World as the only remaining venue in Australia still breeding polar bears and dolphins for display.
The two animal welfare organisations will gather today on the Gold Coast to publicly call for an end to breeding polar bears and dolphins at Sea World, which continues despite overwhelming support for a ban.
New polling commissioned for the report shows rapidly shifting community expectations*:
- 89% of Queenslanders (87% of Australians) say the Gold Coast climate is “unacceptable” for polar bears to live.**
- 68% of Queenslanders (62% of Australians) would support a ban on Sea World breeding polar bears.
- 59% of Queenslanders (58% of Australians) would support a ban on Sea World breeding dolphins.
The report draws on research to show that polar bears and dolphins have evolved for vast, complex environments that captivity cannot replicate over the long term.
Hope Robins, CEO at Action for Dolphins, said:
“A theme park cannot match the Arctic conditions polar bears need to thrive, or the vast, open waters dolphins explore in the wild.
“We’re calling on the Queensland Government to work with Sea World to introduce a polar bear and dolphin breeding ban. For the welfare of these animals, and for the Queensland tourism industry’s reputation.”
Suzanne Milthorpe, Head of Campaigns at World Animal Protection Australia, said:
“The Gold Coast is no place for a polar bear. They are trapped for decades in a space that will never replicate their natural home.
“If Sea World’s captive breeding program continues, a polar bear cub born today could still be on display in 2050, while a dolphin calf born today could still be performing in 2070.
“Sea World is the only place in Australia still breeding polar bears and dolphins for entertainment. They are not world class, they are stuck in the past, and it’s time they truly put animal welfare first.”
Ondine Sherman, Co-founder and Managing Director at Voiceless, said:
“Polar bears and dolphins are highly sentient, wide-ranging animals who naturally travel long distances, dive and forage in complex, everchanging environments.
“Captive enclosures cannot meet these spatial and behavioural needs, and breeding them for display simply locks future generations into a lifetime of confinement and suffering.”
Key findings on polar bear and dolphin welfare from the report:
- The Polar Bear Shores enclosure and dolphin lagoons at Sea World give these animals a fraction of the space they use in the wild.
- Sea World promotes Polar Bear Shores as a replica of an “Arctic summer” based on Canada’s Hudson Bay, yet climate data shows the Gold Coast is consistently warmer than Hudson Bay across the year.
- Although Sea World markets their polar bear enclosure as ‘world-class’, it is 24 times smaller than other venues also using the term.
- Dolphins rely on sound to navigate, forage, and maintain social bonds. At Sea World, lagoons are located near rollercoasters, helicopter flights, and crowds, exposing them to repeated noise without the option to move away.
World Animal Protection and Action for Dolphins played an instrumental role in securing the legislative ban on captive dolphin breeding in New South Wales in 2021. Furthermore, countries around the world including Mexico, Canada and France have already banned the use of dolphins for entertainment.
The animal welfare organisations are urging Sea World and the Queensland Government to work together in implementing a breeding ban on dolphins and polar bears.
- ENDS -
- READ the report “No Substitute for the Wild”
- Images and b-roll available here via Dropbox (please use credit info available)
*Polling commissioned by World Animal Protection and conducted by Pure Profile in January 2026, with a sample of 1,018 Australian respondents (population proportionate).
**Includes participants who responded either ‘extremely unacceptable’ or ‘somewhat unacceptable’
About us:
About World Animal Protection
World Animal Protection is the global voice for animal welfare, with more than 75 years of experience campaigning for a world where animals live free from cruelty and suffering. We work to transform the tourism industry from one that harms to one that ensures every wild animal can thrive in an abundant natural habitat that is humanely protected.
About Action for Dolphins
Action for Dolphins advocates for dolphins to live free from suffering. We work tirelessly to change laws, educate the public, and promote institutional reforms that lead to safer, healthier lives for dolphins and the marine ecosystem they need to thrive.
Contact details:
For more information, or to arrange an interview with a spokesperson, contact Hannah Smart on +61 (0)434 269 048 or [email protected]
