Deaths at Marineland: an insubstantial law and a government who digs orcas’ graves

We have been fighting for more than ten years to guarantee decent lives for the orcas kept captive at Marineland Antibes, and then some. We have explored all possibilities to find an angle of attack for the animals exploited by the park: the dolphinarium decree of 2017 that was passed, attacked, and then cancelled and never reinstated; measures announcing the 2021 law, and then this one, full of secret ways for dolphinariums to continue their morbid trade; and working against sending them to China in 2019, then more recently to Japan…

Like Moana, Inouk has been showing signs of distress and disease for years, and more recently it was Wikie’s turn… Last September, after an appeal and two years of fighting, we obtained something which should have been a formality: an independent expert report on the orcas’ state of health and that of the facilities.

Muriel Arnal, President of One Voice, stated:

«When the State Secretary for Biodiversity suddenly launched an expert report on the same day that the experts appointed by the judge had planned theirs, forcing us to postpone, we understood. A Ministry that is supposed to stand up for biodiversity who has not stopped working to protect the captivity industry. In spring 2017, we were full of hope – a far cry from where we are now…»«We had a robust solution for Inouk, Wikie, and Keijo, which we presented, supported by orca specialists worldwide. We are immensely angry, equal to the shame that should choke those who are facilitating this deadly transfer. This family of orcas, the only one in dolphinariums, prepares to live through the most violent abuse, equivalent to being captured in the wild. We will never forget.»

A government with no consideration for the orcas that it has a moral responsibility for

For a short while, new heads have been appearing at the edge of the pools and seem to be learning the habits of the late Moana, Keijo, Inouk, and Wikie…We also know the faces, names, and titles of the people who are supposed to be participating in the transfer to another park. They are Mark Simmons, Thad Lacineck, Brad Andrews, and Grey Stafford. Their profiles speak for themselves.

The transfer of Inouk, Wikie, and Keijo should take place between 8 and 12 January 2024, during the night. The roads in Antibes will be blocked to let the convoy pass through to the airport. Marineland, with compliance from French authorities, gets rid of orcas, sending them to rot in another dolphinarium in a country where the annual Taiji killing takes place, which we helped to make the western world aware of.

Absurd and yet more dangerous ideas from Marineland’s boss

Just a few days ago, the park’s boss was even considering organising a departure drill for the three surviving orcas born in the pools at Marineland Antibes. In other words, he was mocking these cetaceans’ fear and stress, having to experience gravity for the first time in their lives while being taken out of the water, winched using a crane, suspended in mid-air and then put back into the water afterwards… for it to happen all over again ten days later.

We will not give up, especially faced with more than questionable reports and an accelerating timetable

We consider the reports issued by the Ministry after Moana’s death to be a cynical joke. They confirm that the orcas are in good health. Proof of this would be the resumption of them swimming in circles after several days of staying still in mourning; and that which the very young male died from was not contagious in the short term. We are barely simplifying… As for the Ministry, they are asking us not to disclose these conclusions. They can dream.

The date of the expert report ordered by the Aix-en-Provence Court of Appeal at our request should take place on 19 January… in front of pools that in all likelihood will be empty. While waiting, we have launched various proceedings to go all in.

A two-day-old baby dolphin dies in front of its grieving mother

To add to this tragedy, and still according to our information (reliable since it was published immediately and confirmed since by Marineland), Joe, a captive dolphin at the dolphinarium, gave birth on 23 December. Her baby only survived for 2 days, until Christmas day… The dolphins in the ‘lagoon’ at the marine zoo are destined to be sold or transferred to Dubai.

We do not want to have to physically (but always peacefully) interfere with the trucks that will take the orcas away, but we will not shy away from the task at hand to save them. We will go to Asia if necessary.

Translated from the French by Joely Justice