Born Free welcomes news that Europe’s largest marine zoo is to close its doors
We are now calling for orcas and other animals to be relocated to sanctuaries.
An orca performing tricks at Marineland in 2018
On 4th December, Marineland, which describes itself as Europe’s largest marine zoo, announced that it would permanently close its doors to the public on 5th January 2025.
According to the German zoo database Zootierliste, Marineland, which is located on the Cote D’Azur in southern France, currently houses 97 species, including a variety of fish, birds, turtles, seals, sea lions, bottlenose dolphins and orcas.
Responding to the news, Born Free’s Head of Policy Dr Mark Jones said: “Since 1984, Born Free has challenged the global zoo industry and today we lead the movement against the captive exploitation of wild animals. The keeping and breeding of marine mammals in commercial entertainment facilities is particularly egregious. 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.”
Born Free visited Marineland several times over the last 40 years. Our last visit in 2018, gathered evidence of the completely unnatural lives of these animals. Orca and dolphins were seen performing choreographed and degrading shows, and were forced to beach themselves onto the concrete ledge at the side of pool.
The inhabitants at Marineland currently include two orcas, a mother and son named Wikie and Keijo. Wikie was born at Marineland in 2001, the product of parents captured from the wild. She gave birth to Keijo in 2013. Wikie also had another son, Moana, who died at Marineland in 2023 aged just 12. Wikie’s brother Inouk also died at the facility in March 2024 at just 25 years old, leaving Wikie and Keijo as sole survivors of their family at Marineland.
Two orcas at Marineland in 2015
In its announcement, Marineland blamed the law banning cetacean shows in France, which came into effect in November 2021, for a steep decline in visitor numbers, precipitating its decision to close. The release claims that it is in close contact with the authorities to ‘identify the best solutions to accommodate cetaceans in ‘equivalent structures in terms of quality of care and educational projects…’
However, reports suggest that Marineland’s preferred option for the orcas was to transfer them to a dolphinarium in Japan, where they would likely have experienced worse conditions than in France. Fortunately, these efforts were blocked by the French authorities.
Dr Jones continued: “Marineland’s claim that its sole priority is the well-being of the animals doesn’t bear scrutiny. Relocating the cetaceans to ‘equivalent structures’ is simply not good enough, given the existing facilities have never come close to providing for their well-being. We urge the management at Marineland and the authorities to work with welfare organisations to identify genuine sanctuaries where the marine mammals and other animals at the facility can be provided with the highest standards of species-appropriate lifetime care.”
Born Free will continue working with its partners in the Dolphinaria-Free Europe coalition in efforts to ensure the best possible outcome for the animals at Marineland.
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