In fact, belugas in the St. Lawrence are so contaminated with toxins that their bodies qualify as toxic waste. In hopes of boosting admissions, the Shedd attempted to buy False Killer Whales from Japan, a nation that callously disregards the International Whaling Commission's moratorium on whale hunting. Animal advocates successfully fought the purchase. Neither beluga whales nor Pacific white-sided dolphins are endangered or threatened in the wild, so there is no conservation purpose to the Shedd's cetacean breeding program. However, there are profit considerations.
Babies sell more admission tickets.
Animal advocates have recommended that the Shedd rehabilitate and release its cetaceans and convert the facility into a sanctuary for smaller marine animals who could not possibly survive in the wild due to illness or injury. The Shedd has rejected this suggestion for fear of losing money. The Shedd offers little explanation for keeping captive cetaceans other than vague references to research. They suggest a need to learn about metabolic rates and immune systems. Captivity has profound, ongoing physiological effects to nearly every bodily system.