Videos of two orcas held at Marineland Antibes in France have gone viral on social media, showing the animals still living in the closed marine park.
“The mother orca appears dead — her body floating motionless in murky water beside her son. But this wasn’t the ocean. These whales were left behind inside a closed, defunct marine park in France,” photojournalist Seph Lawless, who made the videos, said.
The footage has raised public pressure on the French government and the company that owns the park, Parques Reunidos, to take urgent action.
Marineland Antibes officially closed in January 2025 after a French law banned dolphin and orca shows. But two orcas, Wikie and her son Keijo, and twelve dolphins are still living in tanks at the closed park.
The videos, filmed with drones, show the orcas swimming in small dirty concrete pools. The water has turned green.
Animal activists and scientists fear the animals are being forgotten now that the park is no longer open to the public.
The owner of Marineland, the Spanish company Parques Reunidos, had proposed transferring the orcas to Japan. But the French Ministry of Ecological Transition rejected that plan in early 2024.
The ministry said the move would not be suitable for the animals and recommended sending them to an accredited European facility or a sanctuary in Canada.
The company has not shared a new relocation plan since that decision. The orcas remain in limbo, and activists say they are concerned about their health and safety.
Revenue Parques Reunidos: €820.5 million
Parques Reunidos owns more than 50 parks across Europe, the US, and the Middle East. According to its 2022 sustainability report, the company had revenue of €820.5 million.
Its CEO, Pascal Ferracci, has led the group since 2020. At the Global Association for the Attractions Industry (IAAPA) meeting a month ago, Ferraci said how proud he was of the achievements of Parques Reunidos. “At the heart of it all is a simple truth: we are not just operating parks. We are building belonging, creating memories, and giving meaning, he added.
Since Marineland Antibes closed to the public, the facility has shown little investment in the remaining orcas and dolphins. With no revenue coming in, only basic care is being provided to the animals. The orcas continue to receive food, but there are reports of limited enrichment and reduced staff presence.
Parques Reunidos has previously faced criticism over animal welfare standards at some of its parks. Despite these past concerns, similar issues continue to appear, raising questions about how animal welfare is prioritized within the company’s operations.
Animal groups and some politicians are calling on both the French government and Parques Reunidos to act quickly before the animals’ health gets worse.
At this stage, the Whale Sanctuary Project in Nova Scotia, Canada, is considered the only suitable long-term option.
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