the fate of its 4,000 animals remains uncertain

Despite the park’s commitments to finding appropriate shelters, solutions are still pending. Animal protection associations denounce a lack of anticipation, complicating the future of these animals, collateral victims of a closure that is nevertheless predictable.

Dolphins, sharks, penguins, turtles, fish, corals…: 4,000 marine animals remain without a solution

The closure of Marineland in Antibes, a consequence of a drop in attendance and the 2021 law banning shows with cetaceans, marks a turning point in the management of marine parks in Europe. If the future of the two orcas, Wikie and Keijo, is highly publicized, the relocation of the park’s 4,000 other animals remains unclear. Among them are dolphins, sharks, penguins, turtles and even fish and corals. To date, only a few sea lions and seals have been welcomed into a zoo in Madrid. The park specifies that all transfers must guarantee conditions similar to those of Marineland, but no timetable has been specified.

Interviewed by the online media ReporterreChristine Grandjean, the president of the association It’s enough!, is sounding the alarm. For dolphins, for example, European water parks are saturated, and regulations prohibit their transfer for commercial purposes. A glimmer of hope could emanate from the sanctuary under construction in Taranto, Italy, planned to accommodate four dolphins from July 2025. But what to do with the other cetaceans? Questions persist, particularly for species like sharks, whose biological needs make captivity extremely complex.

Read also – What to do if you find a cetacean stranded on a beach?

For One Voice, the closure of Marineland should have been better prepared

Animal protection associations, such as One Voice, criticize the late management of this situation. According to Muriel Arnal, founder of the association, interviewed by Reporterrethe closure was predictable and should have been better prepared. Lack of anticipation could lead to serious consequences for animals, especially those less emblematic than orcas. In the meantime, Marineland will have to assume the role of a temporary sanctuary, a costly solution that the state may have to support financially.

This situation highlights the urgency of thinking about sustainable alternatives for captive animals in a context where regulations are tightening. In the meantime, orcas, dolphins and thousands of other animals are paying the price for inaction and the lack of solutions tailored to their needs.

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In Antibes, the Marineland park is closing, what will become of its animals?

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