Overview

• Marineland d’Antibes closed in January due to declining attendance and a 2021 animal welfare law banning cetacean shows by late 2026.
• Two orcas, Wikie (24) and her son Keijo (11), remain at the park after the French government refused transfers to facilities in Japan in November and Tenerife in April.
• Park management formally urged Environment Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher to authorize relocation or propose alternatives, accusing her of neglecting responsibility.
• Minister Pannier-Runacher says no global facility exists for captive orcas and insists the park must submit viable transfer proposals.
• Sea Shepherd France offered €5 million for a Greek sanctuary and won a court order to assess the condition of Marineland’s orca basins.