Imagine living your entire life in the same space—no room to roam, no choice in what you eat, no family, no freedom. This is the reality for marine mammals held in captivity. Two Orcas and 12 dolphins, both intelligent and emotionally complex animals are suffering in algae-infested concrete tanks at Marineland Antibes, France .. since its closure in January 2025. Without any tank maintenance and little nutrients, these mammals are currently trapped at the abandoned park awaiting their fate as multiple facilities have denied Marineland in their requests to relocate the mammals. Mammal captivity doesn’t just harm the animals, it also misleads the public. It paints a false picture of wild behavior, disguises cruelty as conservation, and profits from pain. Children grow up thinking it’s normal to see a dolphin doing flips on command, never realizing the emotional and physical toll it takes. 

If marine mammal captivity continues unchecked, the suffering will too.  Generations of marine mammals will be born into misery. Instead of experiencing the vastness of the ocean, they’ll know only the sterile walls of a tank, deprived of everything natural and necessary for their well-being.
Animals will continue to die young. In the wild, orcas can live up to 90 years. In captivity, many don’t survive past 20. Stress, illness, and boredom shorten their lives dramatically.
More animals will be captured from the wild. Especially in places where regulations are weak, dolphins and whales will be torn from their families and sold into a life of forced performances and isolation.
Misinformation will spread. Future generations will grow up believing that animals exist for our entertainment, learning little about the real challenges facing marine ecosystems.
We risk losing empathy. The more we normalize cruelty, the further we stray from our moral responsibility to protect those who cannot speak for themselves. In the spirit of humanity taking a step forward - we call on legislators, marine parks, and the global community: Stop profiting from suffering. Retire marine mammals to seaside sanctuaries. Ban future captures. End breeding programs. Stop the cycle. Every moment in captivity is a moment stolen from the wild. Let’s be the generation that ends this injustice—for good. Sign this petition to support the relocation of the Orca’s and Dolphins at Marineland.