Alliance Member Research

The Alliance promotes research that benefits the health and well-being of marine mammals living in public display facilities throughout the world as well as those in the wild. Our commitment to conserving the species in our care also means protecting their counterparts in the wild and the habitats upon which they depend.

We are committed to conserving species and ecosystems through research that increases knowledge, informs policy, enhances livelihoods and inspires the public to become environmental stewards. Knowledge acquired through observational, behavioral, physiological and genetically-based research from animals in zoos, aquariums and marine parks, in tandem with field research, is essential to marine mammal conservation.

Our accredited institutions incorporate superior behavioral training programs into their routine schedules that facilitate sensory, cognitive and physiological research investigations. These research projects can address topics and techniques that are impossible to address in the wild, and provide information critical to ensuring the health of wild marine mammal populations in the 21st century.

Our facilities provide a unique environment that allows their teams and outside researchers and scientists the opportunity to better understand marine mammals. Many of our members partner with universities and research organizations and provide access to their animals for scientists conducting studies on a variety of subjects, including testing and calibrating techniques and equipment planned for field use. These studies complement and strengthen research efforts in the field and provide training opportunities for field researchers and wildlife veterinarians.

Our members also provide direct support, both material and funding, to field researchers. They have contributed hundreds of published studies that advance the global scientific community’s understanding of animals. These contributions have led to advances in the care of animals in both zoological facilities and wild populations.