Despite growing sentiment worldwide that large sea creatures – particularly cetaceans – should not be kept in captivity, China’s Chimelong Group has opened the country’s first breeding centre for killer whales in the city of Zhuhai.

Nine whales aged between five to 13 are being kept at the facility, which Chimelong say will “help cultivate the public’s awareness of whale protection, develop related studies, and progress toward killer-whale breeding.”

Animal rights groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and The orca Project have long objected to the practice of whale captivity and breeding, arguing that captive orcas generally have a shorter lifespan than their wild counterparts and that many whales are driven mad while in captivity.

According to the Born Free Foundation, more than 2,100 dolphins and whales are being held in captivity at 343 facilities in 63 countries around the world, the majority in Japan, China, the US, Russia and Mexico.

Twelve countries have placed outright bans on orca captivity, as have a number of US states, while some countries such as Britain have standards so strict it is “nearly impossible” to keep captive cetaceans. SeaWorld has been at the forefront of the orca controversy, with the operator promising last year to end its orca breeding practice stemming from the backlash from the release of blackfish in 2013.

Despite this Chimelong is pushing on with its orca plans, debuting its new “Killer Whale Breeding Base”, which has employed a team of 30 people to take care of the animals, offering round the clock care to the orcas.

In addition, the base will also regularly invite domestic and foreign veterinary experts and animal experts to visit the breeding centre, to help assist in the development of health care monitoring and treatment.