ANTIBES, FRANCE: A marine park in Antibes, France, closed its doors for good on Sunday, a direct result of a 2021 law prohibiting marine mammal shows. This move casts doubt on the future of the park’s two remaining orcas, Wikie and Keijo, as well as the hundreds of other animals and dozens of staff members.
The closure was marked by an emotional final performance by the orcas, who were met with applause from the crowd on the park’s last day of operation. Despite a significant drop in attendance over the years, many visitors and employees expressed deep sadness over the closure. Salome Mathis, a young keeper, shared her heartache, saying, “Our hearts are in pieces.”
The fate of the two orcas remains uncertain, particularly after animal rights groups protested plans to send them to Japan, citing concerns about the country’s more lenient animal welfare standards. France’s ecology minister opposed the move.
The park, once a major tourist destination on the French Riviera, housed 4,000 animals from 150 species, including dolphins, sea lions, and turtles. However, attendance dropped drastically from 1.2 million visitors annually to just 425,000 in recent years. The park’s closure follows a series of setbacks, including a devastating fire, a documentary exposing orca captivity, and the impacts of the Covid pandemic.
As the park’s employees prepare for an uncertain future, the priority remains the well-being of the animals. The closure serves as a stark reminder of how shifting attitudes toward animal rights are reshaping the entertainment industry.
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