France’s Marineland Swims Against the Current

In France, people are coming together to demand freedom for orcas and other animals kept at Marineland of Antibes.

In the past few years, we’ve seen enormous progress in the campaign against cruel marine parks which imprison intelligent wild animals such as orcas and dolphins in concrete tanks and force them to perform. It’s now widely understood that keeping these animals in captivity is horribly unethical, and as a result, marine parks around the world are being forced to change their ways.

Earlier this year, for example, US franchise SeaWorld announced that it is ending its orca-breeding programme and also plans to stop making animals perform.

But on the other side of the Atlantic, SeaWorld’s French equivalent, Marineland, has failed to react to the huge shift in public opinion. It’s still keeping marine mammals, fish and other animals locked up in concrete tanks and forcing them to perform absurd tricks in exchange for food. Animals kept in such miserable conditions frequently exhibit signs of distress, boredom, frustration and loneliness and often die prematurely.

On Sunday, 500 people took part in a demonstration organised by the Sans Voix Paca collective, which includes PETA France, outside the gates of Marineland. They called for all the animals at the park to be transferred to coastal sanctuaries so that they can enjoy at least a semblance of a natural life.

We can all help animals in captivity simply by refusing to attend marine parks and other cruel attractions. When these businesses stop making money from ticket sales, they’ll stop abusing animals.

Please encourage everyone you know to boycott marine parks! And if you ever see any travel companies advertising trips to these types of attractions, write and ask them to stop promoting cruelty.