Distressing footage of a dolphin banging its head against the wall has been circulating on Facebook since Dec. 1, 2019.

It was uploaded to Facebook page Empty the Tanks, where it has gathered more than 1,600 shares and 180,000 views.

According to the post, the video was taken in  S.E.A. Aquarium, Sentosa.

You can watch it here:

"Some very concerning footage has been brought to our attention by an Empty The Tanks Supporter of a dolphin repeatedly slamming their head into the wall at S.E.A. Aquarium in Singapore. This distressing behaviour is one of the many reasons dolphins do not belong in captivity.

#EmptyTheTanks #seaaquariumsingapore #singapore #seaaquarium #sentosa"

People can be heard speaking Cantonese in the background.

In case you can't see it:

In response to queries from Mothership, Empty the Tanks revealed that the video was submitted by someone who had visited the aquarium in 2018.

Many have speculated that the dolphin was going insane due to its captivity.

Other cited stress, escape, or suicide as the reason for its head-banging.

Others tagged S.E.A. Aquarium, hoping to bring their attention to the video.

Why are dolphins not suitable for captivity?

Many sources and scientists have said that dolphins are not suited for captivity.

For instance, Dr. Maddalena Bearzi, writing for National Geographic, explains these mammals are self-aware, intelligent, and cognitive animals that experience a wide range of emotions — just like us.

Dolphins also have complex social structures, as well as "remarkable" social and communication skills that enable them to thrive in such networks.

In captivity, however, dolphins are deprived of such an environment.

Bearzi writes,

"No state of the art captive aquarium or marine park can ever meet the complex physiological and psychological needs of a dolphin, or most other animals, for that matter."

As for the physical aspect of captivity, limited space and lack of stimulation in an aquarium spark aggression and frustration.

In contrast, dolphins can swim up to 100km a day in the wild.

S.E.A Aquarium "uncertain of source" of video

[video's]

Mothership has reached out to S.E.A Aquarium, who said that they are uncertain of the source of the video.

They also shared some "natural behavioural traits" of dolphins, such as their "natural curiosity" and communication methods.

You can read their statement in full here:

“We are uncertain of the source of the video but we can share some natural behavioural traits of dolphins. Dolphins have a natural curiosity about people and their surroundings. They are also very social and enjoy playing with other dolphins. At Dolphin Island, we allow our dolphins to swim on their own or in groups at different timings where they can explore and interact with one another in our large interconnecting lagoons which can be differently reconfigured to encourage play and socialisation. As part of their natural behaviour, they communicate with each other through echolocation, making high-pitched clicking sounds and other playful actions such as nudging objects using their rostrums to attract attention.

Dolphin Island is accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), and we are committed to providing the highest level of husbandry and veterinary care for our marine mammals.”

Top image via Save the Tanks on Facebook

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