[Shutterstock]
A French bid to relocate two orcas and 12 dolphins to Greece has sparked sharp debate over the future of captive marine mammals.
The animals remain at Marineland Antibes near Nice, which shut down after France banned the use of whales and dolphins for entertainment in 2021. Paris rejected relocation to facilities in Japan and Spain, citing concerns over animal welfare and overcrowding.
Greek environmental group Archipelagos has proposed hosting the orcas, named Wikie and Keijo, on Lipsi island, where it seeks approval for a wildlife rehabilitation center that could also serve as a marine mammal sanctuary. “We created a state-of-the-art center … and applied seven years ago,” said research director Anastasia Miliou.
But Greece’s Environment Ministry and its advisory panel are wary, citing failed international precedents. “If dolphins start dying, there will be international disgrace,” one committee member told Kathimerini. Officials insist licensing delays stem from incomplete applications, not obstruction.