Marineland Antibes
Marineland Antibes is a shut-down marine park in France that was once the largest marine park in Europe.
Legislation in 2021 banning cetacean captivity, along with declining attendance and infrastructure problems led to the park’s closure in January 2025. Two orcas—Wikie and Keijo—along with 12 bottlenose dolphins remain at the facility, trapped in algae infested, deteriorating tanks while their fates hang in the balance.
We are tirelessly working on a solution for these animals and have garnered worldwide attention for their situation, now we need action.
Our Official Statement
The situation at Marineland Antibes is an emergency and demands global attention.
The orcas and dolphins must be removed from the dangerous conditions that are putting their health and safety at serious risk. Leaving them in a shut-down facility, confined to a crumbling, decrepit tank, is simply not an option. If these whales become ill, this bonded pair—a mother and her son—will likely be euthanized or succumb to the deteriorating environment.
Inouk, the orca who previously shared the tank with Wikie and Keijo, died prematurely after swallowing a small piece of metal, which caused severe inflammation in his stomach.
We are running out of options. Both Wikie and Keijo were born in captivity, so rehabilitation and release into the wild is not a feasible option. After years of entertaining the public, they deserve a clean and safe environment where they can live out their remaining years with dignity.
The most humane and sustainable solution to phasing out captivity is the creation of sanctuaries. Sadly, no operational sanctuaries for orcas currently exist. The best interim solution would be to build a temporary holding tank for Wikie and Keijo until a sanctuary becomes available. But time is running out—this is an emergency, and it’s been reported euthanasia is a consideration.
We are firmly opposed to captivity, but in this crisis, we must acknowledge that the only other viable option is relocation to a facility adequately equipped to care for orcas. Time is of the essence.
We’d like to stress there is no sanctuary in Nova Scotia, Canada. Since 2016, the Whale Sanctuary Project has been collecting donations for their non-existent sanctuary, yet its proposed site is polluted and completely unsuitable for orcas. They still don’t have permits, and construction hasn’t even begun.
We are disappointed in the lack of planning and complete mismanagement of this situation by the park’s owner, Parque Reunidos, as well as authorities who went silent this past month. The spirit behind ending captivity can only become a reality if activists and captive facilities work together in the best interests of the animals, with their welfare being the upmost priority.
Timeline
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2021 – France Bans Ceta Captivity
and mandates the end by December 2026
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October 2023 – Death of Moana
12 year old male orca dies of bacterial cepticemia
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March 2024 – Death of Inouk
25 year old male orca dies from ingesting a piece of metal
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Junuary 2025 – Park closes
January 5 the park closed to the public.
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NOW – Wikie & Keijo still there
2 orcas and 12 dolphins are still confined to crumbling algae-infested tanks. Their fate remains uncertain.
