Spanish Agency Rejects Proposed Transfer Of Marineland’s Orcas Due To Poor Conditions
News
A Spanish scientific agency has determined that Loro Parque and Madrid Zoo do not meet minimum standards required to take the orcas and bottlenose dolphins from the now-closed Marineland Antibes in France, a transfer proposed by Marineland Antibes.
The decision follows a review into where two orcas and 12 bottlenose dolphins from Marineland Antibes should be moved, after the park shut its doors in January 2025. A transfer was proposed to send the orcas and some of the bottlenose dolphins to Loro Parque in Tenerife and for the rest of the dolphins to go to Madrid Zoo.
But the scientific agency, appointed to evaluate the suitability of these venues, found that neither site met “minimum standards in terms of area, volume and depth” for these animals.
The French government has now formally ordered Marineland Antibes to keep the cetaceans on site until a suitable solution is found.
A turning point for captive whales and dolphins?
This is a significant moment and a damning indictment of the conditions still found in marine parks. Despite years of public concern over poor animal welfare, places like Loro Parque are still being proposed by major travel companies such as TUI as destinations for a fun holiday activity.
Worryingly, Marineland Antibes had suggested these transfers despite Loro Parque’s troubling history of orca deaths and Madrid Zoo’s recent decision to send their own dolphins to China.
Instead of shipping animals from one problematic venue to another, this decision reinforces what we’ve been saying for years: we need sanctuary solutions and we need them urgently.
Sanctuaries are already in development in Italy and Greece, with capacity to house all 12 of the bottlenose dolphins. For the orcas, however, there is currently no established sanctuary site in Europe.
We’ve been calling on the French government and Marineland Antibes to keep the animals on site until appropriate sanctuaries are ready. Sea Shepherd France has even offered to help cover the costs of their care. This new ruling could set a precedent and amplify the message that you can’t just profit from these animals for years, then pass them on when the law changes.
Time to act
The law banning the keeping and display of cetaceans in France takes effect at the end of 2026. The clock is ticking and the need for sanctuaries has never been clearer.
Now is the time for major travel operators like TUI to stop profiting from these cruel venues and do the right thing.
What you can do to help
Boycott TUI now
TUI Group is the last major UK holiday provider still selling tickets to dolphin entertainment venues like Loro Parque. Despite years of public outcry, they continue to prioritise profit over the welfare of these intelligent, sensitive animals. Together, we can show TUI that cruelty doesn’t sell.