The marine park Marineland France will close its doors definitively on January 5, 2025, marking a significant milestone in the fight against cetacean captivity.
This decision is the result of years of activism by PETA France and other animal rights groups, who have worked tirelessly to raise awareness about the cruelty involved in confining these marine mammals.
The campaign, which had the participation of honorary PETA director Pamela Anderson, captured the public’s attention by highlighting the conditions in which cetaceans in captivity live. Anderson, a staunch animal rights advocate, posed in a bathtub to symbolize the tiny tanks where these animals are kept, inspiring many influential people to join the cause.
Almost 50,000 people signed petitions and participated in protests, letters, and complaints to push for the closure of the marine park. In a statement, PETA requested that the remaining orcas at Marineland, Wikie and Keijo, be relocated to marine sanctuaries instead of other parks, emphasizing that “the only ethical option is to send these orcas to a sanctuary where they can live in a more natural environment.”
Cruelty in marine parks
Marine parks subject animals like orcas and dolphins to extreme physical and mental stress. In the wild, these animals travel long distances and have complex social structures, but in captivity, they are confined to small tanks, forced to form unnatural groups and perform repetitive tricks for visitors. This artificial environment can have devastating consequences, as seen in March with the death of Inouk, a 25-year-old orca at Marineland, the second to die in six months.
Other marine parks, like Loro Parque in Spain, have also faced the death of several cetaceans. Recently, Keto, a 29-year-old orca, died at this park, a significantly younger age than the life expectancy of these animals in the wild.
A shift in the industry
The closure of Marineland France is part of a broader shift towards reducing the exploitation of marine animals. This year, the lease contract of Miami Seaquarium was terminated after decades of controversy, and the European travel company Jet2 stopped selling tickets to marine parks.
However, there is still much work to be done. Travel companies like TUI continue to promote these parks, and many facilities worldwide still exploit animals. Activists insist on the need to continue pressing for these practices to cease and promote the creation of marine sanctuaries as the only viable alternative.
The closure of Marineland France is an important step, but animal rights advocates see this as the beginning of a broader change. The ultimate goal is to achieve the release of all marine animals from captivity and their relocation to more suitable environments.
Have you visited our YouTube channel yet? Subscribe now!
