The Briefing BONUS: Seaworld slammed for Polar Bear & Dolphin breeding programs
Feb 28, 2026
Suzanne Milthorpe, a World Animal Protection Australia representative and wildlife welfare campaigner, discusses a new report on SeaWorld’s polar bear and dolphin breeding programs. She covers research on lifelong captivity harms. She outlines global tourism shifts away from captive shows and calls for a Queensland breeding ban. She also shares public sentiment and wildlife-friendly travel tips.
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SeaWorld Remains An Outlier In Australia
- SeaWorld on the Gold Coast is the only Australian venue still breeding polar bears and dolphins for entertainment.
- World Animal Protection reviewed decades of research and found lifetime captivity harms complex social animals and conflicts with global tourism trends.
Strong Queensland Opposition To Polar Bear Captivity
- Queensland public sentiment strongly opposes keeping polar bears on the Gold Coast and supports breeding bans.
- Polling found 89% of Queenslanders say the Gold Coast climate is unacceptable for polar bears and 68% back a polar bear breeding ban.
Breeding Now Commits Animals For Decades
- Animals bred now at SeaWorld could remain in artificial enclosures for decades.
- Suzanne warns a polar bear cub born today could still be at SeaWorld in 2050 and a dolphin calf could be there into 2070, entrenching long-term welfare issues.