Video France must act now: 2 orcas and 12 dolphins are left behind in chlorinated water in the closed Marineland Antibes: read why location has stalled

A wild orca can cruise some 40 miles of coastline in a single day an aquatic marathon that knits together hunting grounds, family calls, and deep-water dives. But on the French Riviera, Wikie and her calf Keijo trace a weary oval of chlorinated water no longer than a sprinting track, the paint flaking off the concrete like dried salt on skin. Their world shrank overnight when Marineland Antibes shut its gates on 5 January 2025, forced closed by France’s ban on dolphin and whale shows. Now the country’s last two captive orcas circle a tank gone green with spring algae spectators gone, music off, future uncertain.

 

For decades, Marineland Antibes was a fixture of the French Riviera an ocean-themed amusement park promising close-up encounters with marine life. At its peak, the park drew hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, most of them coming to see the orcas and dolphins perform in tightly choreographed shows. But beneath the surface appeal, criticism was mounting. Growing awareness of marine mammal intelligence, stress-related behaviors in captivity, and shifting public ethics eventually crystallized into political action.

12 dolphins and 2 orcas are left behind in this small basin

Twelve dolphins and two orcas Wikie, a 23-year-old female, and her 11-year-old son Keijo remained behind. Rehoming plans, initially promised as part of the transition, stalled almost immediately. Despite legal and ethical responsibility falling to the park’s owner, Parque Reunidos, no clear exit strategy materialized. A small maintenance crew stayed behind to provide basic care, but the orcas’ environment began to deteriorate. Footage released by the advocacy group TideBreakers showed tanks lined with green algae, installations in disrepair, and the orcas swimming aimlessly. and that roughly 50 employees continue to care for the animals’ basic needs. Still, what was once a choreographed marine show has become a haunting daily loop two apex predators pacing the perimeter of a life they can’t escape.

Why Relocation Has Stalled

Initially, Marineland proposed relocating the two orcas and twelve dolphins to facilities in Japan and Spain. Both efforts were blocked. French authorities rejected the transfer to Japan, citing welfare standards that didn’t meet European expectations. Meanwhile, the proposed move to Loro Parque in Tenerife one of the few marine parks in Europe equipped to house orcas was vetoed by a scientific panel in Spain. Their reasoning: the facility already housed four orcas, including a newborn, and could not ensure optimal conditions for additional animals.

At the heart of this movement is Tide Breakers, a Canada-based NGO whose drone footage of the algae-lined tanks brought global attention back to the closed park. Their co-founder, Marketa Schusterova, has described the situation as an “emergency,” arguing that leaving the orcas in a crumbling facility risks illness, psychological deterioration, or even premature death. “After entertaining the public for years, we should still provide them with a clean and safe environment to live out their remaining years,” she said in a public plea. Their advocacy has galvanized a growing online campaign, bolstered by a petition and social media traction that spans countries and languages.

Honestly, there’s no single villain to blame for this situation. It’s something much more frustrating: a system that has ground to a halt. It’s a mess of red tape, buck-passing, and official inertia, where everyone seems to be waiting for someone else to make the first move. And this isn’t just happening in France. All over the world, we’re looking at concrete tanks and asking ourselves some hard questions about whether this is right, especially for animals this intelligent and social. We’re finally challenging the very idea of it.

So, what happens now? It all comes down to a simple shift in how we see them. We have to stop looking at Wikie and Keijo as property to be managed or a problem to be solved. They are individuals, with memories and relationships, who have spent their entire lives in our service. We can’t give them back the wild ocean, but we can—and should—give them something better than this. Surely, after all this time, the very least we owe them is a final chapter with some dignity, space, and peace.

Thousands of orcas and dolphins worldwide are suffering as tourist attraction. Stolen from the oceans.

More information :

2 Orcas Trapped in Abandoned Marine Park Months After Closure