Marinelandthe famous water park in Antibes, on the French Riviera, has announced its definitive closure starting from 5 January 2025marking the end of an era for the park that has attracted millions of visitors since 1970.
This decision is linked to the French law of 2021 which prohibits shows with cetaceansa regulation that will come into force in 2026, further limiting the possibility of keeping orcas and dolphins in captivity. The park, one of the largest in Europe, has always had a significant impact on the region, both economically and culturally.
However, growing sensitivity towards animal rights and concerns regarding the living conditions of animals in captivity have put Marineland under accusation in recent years. The two remaining orcas, Wiki and Keijo, born inside the park, have become the symbol of this controversy. There death of two orcasInouk and Moana, has further fueled the public debate.
The foiled proposal to transfer the last two orcas to Japan
The decision to close the park did not come without controversy. Marineland tried to move its last orcas to Japanbut the French Minister of Ecological Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, opposed the transfer, accusing Japan of not adequately respecting animal welfare.
The animal rights association One Voice reiterated that orcas should not be transferred to other captivity facilities, such as those in Japan or Spain, accusing them of having pools that are too small and inadequate living conditions.
The park’s management said the disruption of shows and growing economic hardship, with visitors declining from 1.2 million to 425,000 over the past decade, were the main reasons behind its closure. He also stressed that animal welfare remains one absolute priority and that arrangements will be made to relocate the animals to facilities that meet the highest standards of care, as we all hope.
This closure finally represents a victory for environmentalists and those who fight against the captivity of marine animals. Although the French law comes into force in two years, the decreasing interest in these imprisoned animals has fortunately accelerated the pace in the hope that other facilities will soon close their doors.
