Rights activists on Friday urged French authorities to transfer two orcas from Antibes’ shuttered Marineland to a sanctuary after Spain refused to take them in. France has yet to find a home for the orca mother and her calf after the marine park where they are housed closed down in January over a law banning shows featuring marine mammals.
Animal rights groups on Friday welcomed Spain‘s refusal to take in an orca mother and her calf from a shuttered French marine park, saying France must finally use the opportunity to transfer the animals to a sanctuary.
France has been struggling to find a home for the orcas after a marine park on the French Riviera, Marineland, closed down over a law banning shows featuring marine mammals from December 2026.
Under pressure from activists, Spain refused at the last minute to take in Wikie, 24, her 11-year-old calf Keijo and several other animals earlier this week.
Marineland has been ordered to care for them pending a future solution.
NGO Sea Shepherd France called the announcement “a huge relief”.
“Sea Shepherd France remains more mobilised than ever to help ensure a life worth living for the 14 cetaceans held captive in the park,” the conservation group said in a statement.
The group said an orca tank in the park in Antibes must be refurbished and staff dedicated to their care retained while activists and authorities are working on a solution.
The transfer of the two orcas, as well as 12 dolphins, from Marineland was blocked by Spanish authorities after a committee ruled the parks due to host them lacked the proper facilities.
The two killer whales were due to go to a park on the Canary island of Tenerife and the 12 dolphins to a Madrid aquarium.
Activists had long campaigned against the orcas’ transfer to Spain, calling instead for the creation of sanctuaries where the captive-born animals could live more freely.
Sea Shepherd France said sanctuaries in Greece and Italy were “about to be finalised”.
The campaigners criticised Marineland management for laying off employees and seeking to transfer the animals “more than a year and a half” before the new law enters force.
“The management of Marineland has shown itself to be irresponsible and has caused great animal and human distress, which could have been avoided,” said Sea Shepherd France.
The One Voice NGO called for the orcas “to be placed in suitable sanctuaries, in Europe or Canada, where they can finally regain some semblance of freedom”.
Marineland, owned by Parques Reunidos, a Spanish leisure park operator, declined to comment.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP / photo: VALERY HACHE/AFP/AFP)
