The French government wants to expedite the transfer of the last two orcas from Marineland in Antibes to Loro Parque in the Canary Islands. Closed since the beginning of 2025, the Antibes marine park no longer has facilities deemed sufficient to guarantee the animals' long-term safety and health.
In an interview with Nice-Matin, the Minister Delegate for Ecological Transition, Mathieu Lefèvre, defended the swift departure of the two cetaceans. "If we do nothing, given the state of the pools, we are condemning them," he declared, asserting that all the administrative and health conditions had been prepared to allow their transfer to Spain.
A hotly contested solution
The decision, however, has provoked strong opposition from animal rights groups. Several organizations believe that Loro Parque does not offer suitable conditions for orcas, recalling that the Spanish park has already been at the center of controversies related to the captivity of cetaceans and several incidents involving trainers.
Animal rights activists have been calling for months for the orcas to be transferred to larger marine sanctuaries or specialized facilities allowing for a gradual semi-freedom. However, French authorities maintain that no immediately operational alternative currently exists to accommodate the two orcas within a timeframe compatible with their condition and the state of Marineland's infrastructure.
Community
Comments
Comments are open, but protected against spam. Initial posts and comments containing links undergo manual review.
Be the first to comment on this article.