A team of scientists in Canada are aiming to study the health of whales, dolphins and porpoises in captivity.

A leading marine biologist from the University of British Columbia will head the national study to evaluate the health of these animals.David Rosen and a team of researchers will focus on two area including, developing criteria to determine the well-being of cetaceans and then determining the impact of captivity on the animals.

"The first thing we need to do is come up with some scientific agreement among everyone that has a professional interest in it of how do we evaluate the well-being of a cetacean or a group of cetaceans that are being held in captivity?.And then we can go back and say, 'How do aspects of their environment - such as pool size, interaction with humans, water quality - affect that?',"Rosen said.

The research is being conducted on behalf of Canada's Accredited Zoos and Aquariums, which is a national organization representing the country's zoological parks, aquariums and similar animal exhibits. Rosen works as a research scientist with the Marine Mammal Research Unit at UBC. The study will involve analysing animal's behaviour and physiological condition to determine its wellbeing. The team will bring in experts in animal behaviour and physiology and veterinary medicine that deal with animals frequently.