Recent Studies on Captive Cetaceans in Japan: Working in Tandem with Studies on Cetaceans in the Wild

Abstract

Recent technological advances have allowed researchers to acquire a vast amount of information on wild cetaceans, much of which had previously been inaccessible. However, despite these new technologies, existing studies on cetaceans in captivity remain valuable. In this article, we review the recent research conducted on captive cetaceans in Japan to show their importance. We indexed the existing studies regarding behavior (resting behavior, vocal development, social behavior, and behavior differences between species), comparative cognition (echolocation ability), stress reduction, and reproductive physiology. The resulting data, as well as an understanding of the techniques used to obtain these data, will help improve the condition of cetaceans (especially endangered species) kept in captivity and fill in the gaps of studies done on cetaceans in the wild.