Eight dolphins transferred from closed Marineland park in France to Selwo Marina in Spain, sparking animal rights backlash

From Antibes to Málaga

On the evening of 22 July 2026, operations began to move eight of the twelve dolphins remaining at the shuttered Marineland park in Antibes, southeastern France. Animal rights groups circulated videos showing dolphins strapped into flexible slings and hoisted by crane onto trucks equipped for live animal transport. The trucks then drove to nearby Nice Côte d'Azur Airport, from where the dolphins were flown approximately 1,500 kilometres to Málaga in southern Spain. They landed early on 23 July, with timings reported between 6:45 and 7:30 local time, according to different sources. The destination was Selwo Marina in Benalmádena, which closed its doors for the day to receive the new arrivals. Marineland's management confirmed the transfer only after it was completed, citing safety reasons for the silence.

A park closed by law

Marineland Antibes, once Europe's largest marine park, shut permanently on 5 January 2025 after France enacted a 2021 animal welfare law banning the keeping and performance of cetaceans. The facility, owned by Spain's Parques Reunidos, had seen a steep decline in visitor numbers in its final years. After closure, two orcas, Wikie (24) and Keijo (11), and twelve dolphins were left in the empty, ageing tanks. Several animal associations argued that keeping them there was unsafe, while others wanted them moved to sanctuaries rather than other performance parks.

Outcry from animal rights groups

Multiple organisations condemned the transfer. Sea Shepherd France called it a betrayal of the 2021 law and said the operation was carried out under high-risk conditions because of extreme heat, hence the decision to move the animals at night.

A state scandal, a shame orchestrated by money and a high-risk journey for animals whose safety is not assured.

We will closely monitor the dolphins, document the consequences of this transfer and hold both Marineland and the French government to account.

Other groups such as Tilikum’s Spirit also shared footage, while TideBreakers reportedly viewed the move as the only way to ensure the dolphins’ survival after the park’s closure.

The park’s account

Marineland issued a brief statement saying the transport took place in complete safety and that the dolphins were being looked after by French and Spanish veterinary and animal-care teams to ensure their well-being and acclimatisation. The management emphasised that moving the animals at night was a deliberate choice to spare them from the extreme daytime heat. The park also noted that the eight dolphins could eventually return to France, to a planned reception centre at the Beauval zoo in Loir-et-Cher.

What happens next

Four dolphins remain at Marineland and are expected to be sent to a park in Valencia, on Spain’s eastern coast. The two orcas, originally slated for transfer to Loro Parque in Tenerife by June 2026, have seen their departure delayed by several months. Loro Parque’s scientific director, Martin Böye, estimated a move probably not before the autumn. Meanwhile, a transatlantic parallel has arisen: Marineland Canada, an unrelated park near Niagara Falls closed since 2024, is evacuating around thirty belugas to facilities in the United States after threatening euthanasia.