Associations denounce the treatment of animals, which could be sent to other structures in the event of the park closing, as announced by Marineland this Wednesday, December 4.
What will become of the animals at Marineland Antibes? While the Marineland park announced this Wednesday, December 4 that it was “forced to consider closing permanently” as of January 5, 2025.
The question now arises as the park announced this Wednesday, December 4 that it was “forced to consider closing permanently” from January 5, 2025. The state of health of the orcas is particularly strongly criticized by animal protection associations. .
The park assures in a press release that it is in contact “with the competent authorities to identify the best solutions” to accommodate cetaceans, “in equivalent structures in terms of quality of care and educational projects with well-being as the sole priority. animals.” The One Voice association, however, denounces this statement as a “vast joke”.
“Marineland quietly announces its permanent closure on January 5. The animals? Scattered in other prisons,” declares the association on its Facebook account.
“That Marineland dares to say that they are studying the best options in the interest of the animals – how can I put it, that would be a first – is a huge joke given that they immediately ruled out any sanctuary because according to them it would be of a victory for the associations.”
A desire to “put pressure”?
The association does not fail to point out the timing of this announcement, even though the Aix-en-Provence Court of Appeal must render a decision this Thursday concerning the transfer of the orcas from the park.
“If the marine zoo wants, through this announcement, to put pressure on the judge of the Aix-en-Provence Court of Appeal who must make a decision tomorrow, it’s just pathetic,” denounces the association.
“Wikie and Keijo are not doing well, Marineland, the Ministry of Ecological Transition, One Voice and others must sit around the table with one and the same objective: to offer the best possible to the animals that we have been dirty locked up and exhibited all their lives.”
The park, for its part, indicates that it is obliged to consider this closure given the 2021 law prohibiting cetacean shows. One Voice, which has always opposed the presence of orcas and dolphins in this park, today denounces what could happen to the animals who “have all made the park's heyday, lined the pockets of shareholders “.
For its part, the C’est Enough! also very active on the issue of Marineland orcas, recalls that the law mentioned by the park is not as strict as it seems.
“The 2021 law prohibits the holding of captive cetaceans by 2026, but it provides two exceptions: detention for scientific purposes or detention in a marine refuge (commonly called a sanctuary). Planète Sauvage, which is one of the two last parks in France to hold dolphins in captivity, has chosen to focus on scientific research and therefore intends to keep its dolphins beyond 2026, and even have them reproduce”, indicates the association. on his social networks.
Justice expected on the transfer of orcas
One Voice denounces a desire on the part of Marineland to “liquidate” the animals in the park, a place “today in disaffection (…) What irresponsibility and contempt”, the collective is offended. “When we take animals, exploit them, and give birth to others to bait the barge: we take responsibility,” insists the association.
In addition to the decision of the court of appeal expected this Thursday, the association C’est Assez! is also awaiting a decision from the Council of State on December 9: it had filed an appeal to ban transfers of cetaceans for commercial purposes.
“If the Council of State decides in favor of maintaining captive cetaceans in their basins while awaiting a sanctuary solution, then Marineland will have no other choice but to comply with this decision,” explains the association. “The orcas could stay at Marineland. As for the dolphins, we can always send about 4 of them to the Taranto sanctuary in Italy which is just waiting for that.”
For his part, the mayor of Antibes, Jean Leonetti, although he fears that the closure of the park will be “bad news for the territory”, indicates that he remains vigilant “as for the future of the animals, which must not become the collateral victims of insufficiently anticipated political decisions.”
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