Frequently Asked Questions about the Sanctuary

What is the Whale Sanctuary Project?

It is the first organization focused solely on creating seaside sanctuaries in North America for whales and dolphins who are being retired from entertainment facilities or have been rescued from the ocean and need rehabilitation or permanent care.

Why is it so important to build seaside sanctuaries for dolphins and whales?

While there has been a sea change in public attitudes toward keeping these highly intelligent and socially complex animals in concrete tanks for the purposes of entertainment, there is still no possibility of retiring them since there’s nowhere for them to go. Seaside sanctuaries will change that.

Can’t you just release all these animals into the open ocean?

While we would like to see all captive animals returned to their native habitat, this is not always possible. In particular, whales who have been born in captivity and have never experienced life in the ocean with their own family have never learned the skills to survive in the wild. They need lifetime care where they can thrive in a natural setting that’s as close as possible to what they would experience in the wild.

Injured or stranded individuals will be treated and assessed, and every effort will be made to release them.

Where will the first sanctuary be located?

After researching hundreds of locations in Washington State, British Columbia and Nova Scotia, the Whale Sanctuary Project selected Port Hilford, Nova Scotia, as the best site to create a seaside sanctuary for whales being retired from entertainment parks.

How much will it cost?

We estimate that it will cost $12-15 million U.S. for the creation of the sanctuary, and then $2 million U.S. per year for the care for the whales. This long-term care will be covered through through endowments, sustaining donations, and other revenue-generating opportunities like educational materials and programs.

Isn’t it more important to put money into conservation work for whales and dolphins in the wild?

Conservation is important, too, and many of the people who are involved in the Whale Sanctuary Project are also involved in conservation efforts. However, this particular project is about restoring something we humans have taken from these highly intelligent, socially complex animals by forcing them to live in captivity for our entertainment and amusement.

Marine entertainment parks often refer to sanctuaries as “sea cages.” They say they will never transfer their whales to an organization like yours. 

A coastal sanctuary is entirely different from a “sea cage” or even a sea pen captive facility. Sea pens are smaller structures that are suited to the temporary accommodation of whales and other marine mammals needing special care and/or veterinary treatment. Indeed, the sanctuary we are creating in Nova Scotia will have a sea pen attached to the veterinary center. This will be for new arrivals before they are released into the main sanctuary and for any resident whales who need to be brought in for special care and treatment.

Will the sanctuary be open to the public?

People will be able to view the whales from a respectful distance, like from the eastern shore of the bay. We also plan to create an interpretive center, where visitors can watch live video feeds of the whales from cameras around the sanctuary, learn more about whales and dolphins, and immerse themselves in state-of-the-art virtual reality displays that will offer remarkable experiences of a whale’s life in the ocean.

How can I be involved in the Whale Sanctuary Project?

Keep the conversation going: on social media, with friends and family, at school and in the workplace. On the website, you can subscribe to our newsletter and donate to the creation of the sanctuary. And if you have skills that you think would be of particular value, please contact us.

There are many urgent causes. Why should this one matter to people?

Throughout history, great teachers from every culture have encouraged us to treat others as we would want to be treated in their place. By restoring to these amazing animals the ability to live their lives according to their own nature, we dignify not only them but also ourselves.

We need a new, more respectful relationship with wildlife and nature if we wish to survive on Earth. Sanctuaries like this can help build that relationship.