In a significant victory for animal rights, Europe’s largest marine park, Marineland d’Antibes in France, will permanently close its doors on January 5, 2025.

This decision follows years of relentless campaigning by PETA, notably supported by the organization’s honorary director, Pamela Anderson, and other animal welfare organizations. The campaign highlighted the ethical concerns surrounding the captivity of cetaceans—such as orcas and dolphins—which are known for their high intelligence and complex social behaviors.

The campaign against Marineland included various public demonstrations and social media activism, significantly influenced by Pamela Anderson’s involvement.

Anderson’s advocacy included a symbolic protest where she posed in a bathtub to mimic the restricted tanks that house marine animals, aiming to draw a parallel to the cramped and inadequate conditions they endure. This act prompted a wave of similar protests among influencers, especially during the COVID-19 lockdowns, amplifying the message against cetacean captivity. Nearly 50,000 supporters signed petitions, participated in protests, and contributed to exposés to pressure the park into closing.

Opened in 1970, Marineland spans over 25 hectares and has long been a major tourist attraction on the French Riviera, drawing millions of visitors annually to its dolphin, sea lion, and orca shows. However, the park’s operations, including breeding programs and live performances, have come under scrutiny for prioritizing profit over the well-being of animals. Over the years, numerous exposés revealed the physical and psychological harm suffered by captive marine animals.

The closure of Marineland is seen as a triumph over the exploitation of marine animals for entertainment. In the wild, they swim vast distances and live in close-knit pods, but in captivity, they are confined to tiny tanks, separated from their families, and forced to perform unnatural tricks for entertainment. This leads to chronic stress, depression, and health issues like dorsal fin collapse and weakened immune systems. Many are captured violently from the wild, while captive breeding programs perpetuate the cycle of suffering. Marine parks often make cetaceans perform unnatural tricks, which are taught through food deprivation or coercion.

In March, 25-year-old orca Inouk became the second orca to die in the tanks at Marineland in less than six months. Three orcas died at the notoriously cruel Loro Parque in Spain from 2021 to 2022 alone, and just weeks ago, Keto became the latest orca to die at a mere 29 years old—decades younger than the life expectancy of a free orca.

Marineland’s future had been uncertain since 2020, when French legislation aimed to end cetacean captivity by banning the breeding and acquisition of these animals in marine parks. This law was intended to eventually transfer existing animals to more humane living conditions in sea sanctuaries, allowing them a semblance of natural life.

The decision to close Marineland aligns with this legislation and marks a crucial step forward in the battle to end cetacean captivity. Yet, significant concerns persist regarding the future welfare of the animals currently residing at the park. Marineland is home to two orcas, Wikie and her son Keijo, both born at the park, along with 12 bottlenose dolphins and hundreds of other animals.

PETA is advocating for the park to rehome all its animals to sanctuaries, providing them with an opportunity to live in conditions that better reflect the quality of life they are entitled to.