Marineland orcas and dolphins in limbo

Wikie and Keijo at Marineland

Marineland Antibes in France closed its doors back in January. But concerns continue to mount for the two orcas and twelve bottlenose dolphins that continue to be held there in algae-covered tanks. 

Born Free has consistently called for the phasing out of keeping whales, dolphins and other marine mammals in captive facilities, on the grounds that it is impossible to provide for these highly intelligent, socially complex and wide-ranging animals in concrete tanks where their movements are severely restricted, and where they are forced to perform unnatural and demeaning tricks for the sake of public entertainment.

Going forward, long-term solutions, focused on securing the welfare of the animals involved, must be developed to ensure that animals at captive facilities do not suffer from delays and indecision as and when those facilities respond to the ever increasing public and political pressure to close their doors.   

Why are the orca and other dolphins still at Marineland?

When announcing its closure in December 2024, Marineland reportedly stated that they were in close contact with the French authorities to identify the best solutions to find new homes for the cetaceans (the collective term for whales, dolphins, and porpoises) at their facility. However, disagreements, indecision, and lack of feasible options have thus far hindered any progress.

Marineland’s previous attempts to transfer orcas Wikie and her son Keijo to a dolphinarium in Japan were rejected by the French authorities. This followed protest by animal welfare organisations, including Dolphinaria-Free Europe, of which Born Free is a founding member, that they should not be transferred to another captive facility that would continue to exploit them.

Frustratingly, calls to move them to a proposed seaside sanctuary in Canada were also rejected due to the site not being ready. French animal welfare groups have offered to assist with the animals’ interim care at Marineland while a sanctuary solution is found for them, but this has so far also been refused.

A dolphin at Marineland in 2018

There has been some debate over whether a cetacean sanctuary situated in the Mediterranean could offer some solution for the orcas, the bottlenose dolphins, or both. Some marine sanctuary sites exist in the Mediterranean that could potentially offer a home to dolphins, but the animals at Marineland are Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, which would naturally live in cold waters. There is no marine sanctuary site in Europe that could take orcas. Furthermore, orcas are native to and adapted to live in cold, even Arctic and Antarctic, waters. Marineland’s chlorinated tanks have to be specially cooled due to the warm climate in the south of France.

Reportedly, Marineland’s preferred option was to transfer the orcas and bottlenose dolphins to marine parks in Spain. Loro Parque in Tenerife was cited as the destination for orcas Wikie and Keijo and some of the bottlenose dolphins (the others being destined for Madrid Zoo), where they would continue to be exploited for public entertainment. However, in April, the Spanish authorities refused the transfer reportedly stating that neither Loro Parque nor Madrid Zoo met the minimum standards required to house cetaceans.

What about their welfare?

Concerns continue to be raised about the health and welfare of the orcas and dolphins at Marineland’s defunct facility. Aerial images and footage from the site, obtained by using drones, indicate that the conditions appear to be deteriorating rapidly with the animals having no means to occupy their time beyond swimming in endless circles.

Shockingly, recent footage has also surfaced showing Marineland staff ‘sexually stimulating’ 11-year-old male orca Keijo. Marineland claim that this is being done to prevent inbreeding with his mother Wikie, as the adolescent orca develops strong sexual urges. However, questions are being asked about the intention of these activities, given the high potential value of orca semen for use in artificial insemination efforts at other captive facilities around the world. 

What is being done?

As part of the ‘Dolphinaria-Free Europe’ coalition, we are continuing to raise our concerns with the French authorities about the welfare of the orca and other dolphins at Marineland, calling for their urgent intervention to help these beleaguered animals.

While we celebrated the closure of Marineland, it was made clear that the onus was on the management at Marineland and the French authorities to work with animal welfare organisations to identify the best solution for the animals at the facility. We believe this is possible, but only if everyone can work together in a unified way.

It should not be left solely to Marineland to come up with a solution for animals that clearly have a huge monetary value to the captive industry, that Marineland may have a vested interest in exploiting.

We continue to call for the welfare of Keijo, Wikie, and all other remaining animals at Marineland to be given top priority and for steps to be taken to ensure that a suitable and humane solution is found as a matter of urgency.