Kimberley Chen Speaks Out: Marine Animals Deserve Freedom

Kimberley Chen Confronts Marine Park Cruelty in PETA’s Latest Ad

Which offers a better home for a marine animal: the boundless ocean or a cramped concrete tank? In a compelling new PETA campaign, singer, actor, and model Kimberley Chen shares an empathetic viewpoint.

The campaign, “A Tank Is Not a Home,” plunges viewers into the claustrophobic reality that marine animals in captivity endure.

Chen’s Heartfelt Plea

In the video, Chen delivers a poignant message about the cruel conditions animals endure in marine parks. She stresses the importance of appreciating marine life without supporting captivity.

“I wanted to show what it’s like to be captured and stuck in a tank for your whole life,” says Chen. “There are so many better ways to understand marine life than by having them captured and confined.”

Chen’s portrayal—confined to a cramped glass tank—starkly contrasts the freedom of marine mammals in their natural home, where they roam open waters and live in complex social groups, with captivity. Her message is clear: Marine parks reduce these animals, who have a will of their own, to mere “spectacles.” Being forced to live in a tank for folks to gawk at deprives animals of everything that’s natural and important to them.

The Reality of  Confinement at a Marine Park 
In nature, dolphins, whales, and other marine animals explore the ocean’s vast expanse, forming intricate social bonds and engaging in behavior vital to their well-being. Dolphins, for example, are known for their intelligence and playful personalities. In nature, they thrive in social pods and use echolocation to find food.

In contrast, marine parks confine these intelligent animals to small, barren tanks that lack the complexity and space of their ocean home. In these restrictive environments, they often swim in repetitive patterns and engage in unnatural behavior out of frustration.

They’re forced to perform demeaning tricks and interact with gawking visitors. The artificial conditions of marine parks compromise their physical and mental health, emphasizing the stark difference between their lives in captivity and the freedom of the open ocean.

Marine animals in captivity face a range of issues, including:

• Poor health
• Decreased life expectancy
• Social struggles

Many are forcibly separated from their families and subjected to environments that fail to meet their needs.

Global Shift Away From Marine Mammal Captivity
Significant progress has been made in recent years in the battle against marine-mammal captivity. Countries such as Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, and Croatia have enacted bans on keeping marine animals in captivity—giving us hope that these parks will soon be in the dustbin of history.

Despite these advances, many countries continue to host numerous marine parks in which animals are forced to live in tiny tanks. Chen’s new campaign highlights this cruelty and encourages a shift to admiring these animals respectfully.

Join the Movement

 “Dolphins and other marine animals belong in the ocean, not exploited by marine parks for human entertainment.”- Kimberley Chen.

To join Chen in standing up for marine animals, you can do the following:

• Share the campaign: Share the ad and video on social media to raise awareness of the plight of marine animals in captivity.
• Choose Ethical Entertainment: Your actions matter. To be part of the solution, opt for experiences that respect animals and support conservation efforts.