Approximately 131 of these marine mammals are now dead. Orcas are continuously stripped from their home in the wild for commercial entertainment. As of March 2023, 54 Orcas are being held in captivity, and 29 were born into captivity. The infamous SeaWorld currently houses 19 orcas in just three parks.

In 2023, there were approximately 54 to 58 orcas (killer whales) held in captivity worldwide. This number fluctuates slightly due to births and deaths within the captive population. The majority of these orcas are located in marine parks in the United States (primarily SeaWorld parks in Orlando, San Diego, and San Antonio), Japan, France, Spain, and China. In North America, the captive population has been slowly declining following SeaWorld's 2016 announcement to end its orca breeding program, meaning the current generation of orcas in their care will be their last. China has seen a slight increase in captive orcas as several new "ocean kingdom" style parks have opened over the last decade, often importing wild-caught orcas from Russia. International pressure from animal welfare organizations has led to a significant shift in public opinion regarding the ethics of keeping such large, socially complex mammals in tanks. In 2023, the death of Lolita (Tokitae) at the Miami Seaquarium, just as plans were being finalized for her release to a sea pen, brought renewed global attention to the plight of captive orcas and accelerated discussions about seaside sanctuaries as a more humane alternative to traditional concrete tanks for the remaining population.