This is "Free Willy" for grown-ups, with Ms. Foster standing in for the captive whale.

To prevent captive whales from dying, researchers from the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre are finding ways to prevent fungi from entering their habitats and they are constantly checking their health.

Marineland currently holds the world record of 41 beluga whales total in their exhibits, both wild and captive born whales in Arctic Cove, King Waldorf Theatre and Friendship Cove.

Her striking white colouring had never been seen in captivity, and she quickly became one of the most famous captive whales anywhere.

Tourists continue to travel to Norway every year to see Keiko's final resting place, honoring his legacy as the most famous whale in the world and an ambassador of captive whales worldwide.

According to SeaWorld's website, another reason for the fin to bend may be the greater amount of time that captive whales spend at the surface, where the fin is not supported by water pressure.

The coverage of Tilikum begins with his capture in 1983 off of Iceland and shows how he was harassed by fellow captive whales and left in dark tanks for hours, which Cowperthwaite argues contributed to the whale's aggression.

Poor man, so he's to be shown off, like a captive whale?

Captivity usually bears little resemblance to wild habitat, and captive whales' social groups are foreign to those found in the wild.

Naturally, the word went out that test audiences adored the sentimental family story of a neglected 12-year-old boy and a captive whale.