Spain for the marine mammals: Press release
What a fine display of political courage! The French government has chosen to turn a blind eye to the captivity of marine mammals and to flout, with impunity, the law of 2021 prohibiting their captivity and breeding in captivity in France. The Ministry for Ecological Transition is authorising the transfer of the cetaceans still held at Marineland – 12 dolphins and the two orcas, Wikie and Keijo – to Spain.
This is how the government is removing a thorn from its side without addressing the root of the problem… by sending Wikie and Keijo to another dolphinarium, and, what’s more, to the most abusive one in Europe: Loro Parque in Tenerife (Canary Islands). Yet Mathieu Lefèvre, Minister for Ecological Transition, had previously come out in favour of the future sanctuary in Nova Scotia (Canada) at the end of 2025, before backtracking in recent weeks, deeming it too uncertain.
“The Minister sees too many uncertainties in sanctuary solutions, whether for orcas or dolphins. He prefers the certainty of the mistreatment that is captivity in dolphinariums at Beauval and Tenerife, and the certainty of premature death of the animals for which he is responsible. A death that alone will deliver them from the hell in which Mathieu Lefèvre has decided to keep them.” Muriel Arnal, President of One Voice.
Yet this sanctuary is not a figment of the imagination. It is taking shape. €3 million have just been injected into the Whale Sanctuary Project, and work has begun on building the site’s future infrastructure and a jetty. As a reminder, our association has been working on this project for five years in collaboration with the world’s leading specialists.
Animal welfare is being eclipsed by financial and political interests, which also opens the door to sales to Asia.
The reality of Loro Parque
Loro Parque is, in itself, a catastrophic prospect. There are already four orcas there, still being used for breeding and performances: a female and her one-year-old calf, Teno, and two males. Four orcas died there between 2021 and 2024 at ages ranging from 3 to 29 years, while the life expectancy of an orca in the wild exceeds 50 years.
The park has facilities capable of accommodating a maximum of six adult orcas in two pools whose dimensions fall short of the recommendations of the European Association of Aquatic Mammals (EAAM). Wikie will be used for breeding, that much is certain. Her son Keijo could then be sent to Japan.
Spain too for the 12 dolphins
As for the twelve dolphins, the government has approved Beauval Zoo’s plan to open a new dolphinarium, which also contravenes the law of 2021. Eight dolphins are expected to be transferred there once the work is completed.
But in the meantime, it is also Spain that awaits these cetaceans from Marineland. Whilst Beauval was supposedly THE solution to avoid sending the dolphins to Spain, a “temporary” transfer is planned to the dolphinarium in Malaga, owned by Parques Reunidos, to enable it to stage a summer season of shows… A journey causing intense stress for these dolphins, terrible conditions of captivity and no real guarantee of return…
The four remaining dolphins – Malou and Sharky, who are over 40 years old, and Ollie and Dam, who suffers from neurological problems – will, for their part, be sent to the ageing dolphinarium in Valencia, never to return. The group will therefore be separated and placed in conditions worse than those at Marineland.
“There is no such thing as a magical sanctuary,” declared Mathieu Lefèvre. Well, there is. In Taranto, the San Paolo Dolphin Refuge will welcome its first dolphins this summer. Proof that, with the political will, creating this type of sanctuary in Europe is a realistic prospect. Yet we must still have the courage to make this ecological transition, which the eponymous ministry is methodically striving to scupper.
One Voice refuses to bow to these economic realities. Our association will fight by every means against the requests for permits required for the transfer. If the animals were to be sent to Tenerife or Valencia, the French people who have rallied alongside us to close dolphinariums in France will see that their wishes are not being respected. As for Beauval, we are ready to campaign to ensure there is no third dolphinarium in France – an absurdity in 2026! Sanctuaries represent the only acceptable solution, a credible solution provided there is the political courage…
Spain for the marine mammals: Press release
Spain, the solution to the ban on the captivity of marine mammals in France! The ultimate hypocrisy behind the government’s announcement