©Ranae Smith via Unsplash
After more than a year of waiting, the fate of the marine mammals at Marineland d'Antibes is becoming clearer... And it's not the one everyone was hoping for.
The French Ministry of Ecological Transition has approved the Beauval ZooParc project in Loir-et-Cher: 23 dolphins, 12 from Antibes and 11 from Planète Sauvage, will be transferred by spring 2027. Unfortunately, this is not a release, but a simple transfer from a marine wildlife park to a zoo.
Beauval promises an 'exceptional' complex: seven basins, three large lagoons, 2.5 hectares of surface area and an estimated investment of between 25 and 40 million euros. Artificial currents, seawater, more space. The park confirms that breeding will be limited, artificial insemination banned and commercial shows excluded. These measures, the Ministry assures us, will only be authorized within an "extremely strict framework adapted to the animals' well-being". A framework presented as innovative, but the reality is quite different: dolphins will continue to live in captivity.
NGOs divided on the sanctuary issue
For months, organizations have been calling for an alternative: a marine sanctuary in semi-liberty, outside the logic of zoos. (...)
Some NGOs are denouncing what they call a 'false sanctuary', fearing that behind the rhetoric of animal welfare lies, in reality, the pursuit of public spectacles. Other organizations, on the other hand, have chosen to collaborate in drawing up an ethical charter. The result? A split in the animal rights front, as time passes and, in the end, only marine mammals pay the price.
Orcas, the real problem
While the relocation of the dolphins - regrettable though it may be - seems to have been largely decided, the fate of the two orcas, Wikie and her son Keijo, remains uncertain. A technical report points to structural problems in the 2,000 basins, with cracks and subsidence requiring constant repair. The government has not ruled out a transfer to Tenerife's Loro Parque as an interim solution, while a Canadian sanctuary still seems a long way off. Experts warn that moving the animals repeatedly poses significant risks.
Source: Ministries Land Management Ecological Transition
(©Ministères Aménagement du territoire Transition écologique via GreenMe.it 2026/Managing Editor: Julie Morgan - The Press Junction/Picture: ©picture alliance/dpa/dpa-POOL | Peter Kneffel)