Important News: Progress for Dolphins, Heartbreaking Losses and Animals Still Waiting
There have been several important developments in the fight for captive marine animals. Some bring hope. Others remind us how urgently we need better solutions.
From a new breeding ban announced in the Netherlands to the deaths of marine mammals following relocations, and the uncertain future of Wikie and Keijo in France, one thing remains clear:
We cannot forget the animals who are still waiting for a better future.
🇳🇱 THE NETHERLANDS: A STEP TOWARDS A FUTURE WITHOUT DOLPHIN BREEDING
According to World Animal Protection Netherlands, State Secretary Silvio Erkens has announced a breeding ban and a phase-out policy for dolphins at Dolfinarium Harderwijk.
The 22 dolphins currently living there will be allowed to remain, but the announced policy aims to prevent new dolphins from being bred or brought in to replace animals who die.
This is an important development in the effort to end the breeding of dolphins for entertainment.
But a breeding ban is only one part of the solution.
The dolphins already living in captivity still need a future that puts their welfare first.
We must continue exploring suitable sanctuaries and responsible long-term care for animals who cannot simply be released into the wild.
Progress is possible. Now we must ensure that the animals already here are not forgotten.
💔 ROCKY: A DOLPHIN WHO WILL NOT COME HOME
On 11 October 2026, heartbreaking news emerged: Rocky, a 29-year-old dolphin, had died at Selwo Marina in Spain.
Rocky was one of eight dolphins transferred from Marineland Antibes in France to Selwo Marina in July 2026.
Before his death, concerns had been raised about his condition and the risks associated with the relocation. Animal-welfare organisations had also questioned whether moving the dolphins to another operating dolphinarium was the right solution.
An autopsy was announced to investigate Rocky's death. The precise cause has not yet been established in the reporting available.
We must not claim that the transfer caused his death without evidence. But we must ask serious questions about the decisions surrounding his relocation, the risks identified beforehand and the care he received.
Rocky deserved a future. His death must not simply disappear from the headlines.
The seven dolphins who remain at Selwo Marina also deserve continued attention and the best possible care.
The future of these animals must be about more than finding another facility. Their welfare must come first.
🇨🇦 MARINELAND CANADA: MORE HEARTBREAKING LOSSES
The situation involving animals relocated from the closed Marineland Canada has also brought devastating news.
Jelly Bean, a beluga transferred to Oceanogràfic in Valencia, died in September. She had experienced difficulties with feeding, and a post-mortem examination was announced to investigate the circumstances of her death.
At Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, two other belugas from Marineland Canada, Rain and Peekachu, also died. The aquarium subsequently reported preliminary findings of significant chronic gastrointestinal disease in both animals. A third beluga who died at Shedd, Beethoven, had already been living there for many years and was not one of the animals transferred from Canada.
A dolphin transferred from Marineland Canada to Spain also died, adding to the concerns surrounding the animals' relocation.
These deaths are heartbreaking. They also demonstrate why the health, individual needs and medical histories of animals must be carefully considered when relocation decisions are made.
We must be careful not to assume that relocation itself caused these deaths. But we must demand transparency, proper veterinary care and lessons that can help protect the animals who remain.
Every animal matters, and every loss deserves serious investigation.
🇫🇷 WIKIE AND KEIJO: STILL WAITING FOR A SAFE FUTURE
Wikie and her son Keijo remain at Marineland Antibes in France.
Their future remains uncertain. The French government has indicated that transferring them to Loro Parque in Tenerife offers the most feasible option within the necessary timeframe, given concerns about their existing pools. However, the proposed transfer has faced opposition and requires the necessary approvals.
Animal-welfare organisations have raised concerns about moving the orcas to another operating marine park.
These concerns deserve consideration. But so does the immediate reality facing Wikie and Keijo.
They cannot simply be released into the ocean. They were born in captivity and have depended on human care throughout their lives.
A genuine sea sanctuary may offer a different future, but a suitable sanctuary must actually be available and capable of caring for them.
We cannot allow Wikie and Keijo to remain in deteriorating conditions indefinitely while people argue over where they should go.
The immediate priority must be their safety, health and welfare, alongside enforceable safeguards for their future.
🇫🇷 EIGHT DOLPHINS MOVED — BUT THE PLANNED ALTERNATIVE DISAPPEARED
In July 2026, eight dolphins from Marineland Antibes were transferred to Selwo Marina in Spain.
The move was intended to be temporary while ZooParc de Beauval explored a new facility for the dolphins.
However, on 25 August 2026, Beauval announced that it would abandon its proposed dolphin research centre following months of studies, assessments and consultation.
The decision means that the planned alternative is no longer going ahead.
The project faced numerous technical, scientific, environmental, financial and legal considerations. Animal-welfare concerns and opposition to proposed captive facilities have also been part of the wider debate about the dolphins' future.
Whatever the reasons behind the final decision, one reality remains:
When a proposed solution disappears, the animals still need somewhere suitable to live.
We must continue to scrutinise proposed facilities and demand high welfare standards. But we must also make sure that realistic alternatives are available before existing arrangements become untenable.
The animals cannot wait forever for a perfect solution that does not yet exist.
We need governments, facilities and animal-welfare organisations to work towards practical solutions that protect the animals now while building a better future for them.
Please sign and share this petition.
Every signature helps keep these animals' futures in the public eye and reminds decision-makers that the world is watching.
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