It is the end of half a century of history. Founded in 1970, the Marineland of Antibes (Côte d'Azur) closes its doors permanently on Sunday January 5. The water park has made generations of visitors dream with its aquatic ballets of orcas and dolphins. He even inspired Jacques Audiard for his film De Rouille et d'os (2012). “All this is destined to disappear”declared its director, Pascal Picot, to France 3 Côte d’Azur. “We are bitter, but we respect the law and we act responsibly.” It remains to be seen what will become of the employees and the animals who brought Europe's largest marine zoo to life.
1 Why is the park closing?
A law against animal abuse promulgated in 2021 prohibits the detention and reproduction of cetaceans in captivity, as well as their participation in shows by 2026. However, “90% of visitors choose to come to Marineland to admire the orca representations”explained the management in a press release (available PDF)early December. “Today, economic balance is no longer guaranteed and we have no choice but to close and comply with and apply the law”explained Pascal Picot to here Azur (formerly France Bleu). “There is a real change of outlook [sur les animaux]“reacted for his part Louis Schweitzer, president of the Ethical Animal Law and Sciences foundation, welcoming the closure of the park to the Parisian.
To this are added “serious economic difficulties” linked to a drop in attendance, worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic: it has been divided by three in ten years, going from 1.2 million spectators in 2013-2014 to 425,000 in 2023-2024. For several years, the park has also faced controversies concerning the conditions of detention of cetaceans. Two orcas died in 2023: Moana, 12 years old, died of “acute bacterial septicemia”and Inouk, 25, died after ingesting a piece of metal. However, orcas have an estimated life expectancy of around sixty years.
2 What will become of the animals?
To date, there are more than 150 animals remaining in the park, a figure rising to 4,000 if you count the aquariums with their fish and corals. Management has stated as an objective “priority” of “relocate all of its animals to the best existing structures to date”she assured in her December press release. The reintroduction into the natural environment of the last two French orcas, Wikie (23 years old) and her son Keijo (11 years old), was ruled out from the outset. “They have none of the essential knowledge to survive in the natural environment: they do not know hunting techniques, nor the places where they are likely to find prey”explained Christophe Guinet, research director at the CNRS and specialist in the species, to the specialist media Reporterre.
There was once talk of sending them to a marine zoo in Japan, where cetacean shows are still authorized. But this request was refused at the end of November by the Minister of Ecological Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, in particular because of Japanese standards that are less strict than European regulations on animal welfare. “The priority is to prioritize the well-being of Wikie and Keijo, that they endure their displacement and to ensure that their state of health does not deteriorate”the minister said again on Friday Parisian.
“It’s a relief”reacted the One Voice association, which also said it was opposed to another option submitted by Marineland: a dolphinarium in Tenerife, in the Spanish archipelago of the Canaries. “This solution poses a serious problemalerted the president of the association, Muriel Arnal, to franceinfo at the beginning of December. In the Tenerife Maritime Park, “four orcas in total died over the last four years, including one of 3 years, one of 17 years and one of 20 years.”
An inspection report (available PDF) submitted in June to the government recommends the transfer of the orcas to a sanctuary in Nova Scotia, Canada, the option favored by One Voice. “A sanctuary is the opposite of a dolphinarium. A dolphinarium is there to do business, to attract visitors. A sanctuary is only for the animals”argued Muriel Arnal. However, this project is not yet operational and the quality of its water is controversial, according to Reporterre. “There is no sanctuary in the world today capable of welcoming orcas”even decided Agnès Pannier-Runacher, still with the Parisian.
What about the park’s dolphins, otters, flamingos, sea lions and sharks? In October, management denied the departure of dolphins to Asia, ensuring that it was not “on the agenda”. She mentioned “a colossal relocation plan” several months long and demanding “enormous logistics”with the Parisian. The other animals will probably be distributed “in zoological parks in Spain or elsewhere” anticipates Christine Grandjean, president of the association It’s enough!, also to the daily newspaper. “MBut I fear that the closure of Marineland will also result in euthanasia.” The association has been fighting against the captivity of dolphins and orcas around the world since 2014, and regularly highlights the conditions of detention of Marineland marine mammals on Instagram.
3 What will become of the employees?
The closure of Marineland Antibes is “bad economic news”declared Jean Léonetti, LR mayor of the town, on BFMTV. This flagship of Riviera tourism leaves 103 permanent employees in limbo, as well as numerous service providers and more than 500 seasonal workers. Questioned by Azur at the beginning of December, the director of Marineland, Pascal Picot, assured his wish to “negotiate in the coming weeks with the social partners the social consequences of this closure project”. Asked about possible job cuts, he was cautious: “For the moment, it is premature to talk about it because in France, fortunately, we are well supervised”. In its press release, the park management had promised to find “a personalized and individualized solution for each employee concerned”.
At the end of December, a petition was launched against the closure of the park, collecting nearly 14,000 signatures. “The director of Marineland park does not think about the employees or the welfare of the animals. He wants to sell them for commercial purposes, which we refuse”assured the authors, anonymous, who say they are supported by “tourists”, “fans”, “caregivers”.
As for the site, located in the La Brague district of Antibes, it should continue to remain a fun park, as required by the local urban planning plan in force (PLU). As early as 2021, the LR deputy for Alpes-Maritimes Eric Pauget asked the government to develop a “Marineland plan” in order to finance and support this transformation, to “ensure the economic reconversion of the site” et “prevent it from becoming a wasteland”according to La Tribune Côte d’Azur.
