Benalmadena’s rescued dolphins are staying put after France pulls the plug on their return

Thousands of people are happy and proud to call the Costa del Sol their home, lets hope dolphins living at Selwo Marina Benalmadena feel the same.

French zoo pulls out of £38 million rescue plan

ZooParc de Beauval, the French zoo that had proposed building a specialist dolphin facility in the centre of the country, has confirmed it is abandoning the project entirely. Director Rodolphe Delord announced the decision on Tuesday, describing months of “technical, scientific, veterinary, environmental, economic and legal studies” that ultimately failed to make the scheme viable. Costs had climbed sharply from an initial estimate of between €25 and €30 million to a final figure of €45 million (roughly £38 million), and Beauval says it could no longer shoulder that burden without stronger backing from the French government.

Why the dolphins ended up in Spain

Marineland Antibes, once billed as Europe’s largest marine park, closed its doors in January 2025 after France introduced new animal welfare legislation banning cetacean performances. Twelve dolphins and two orcas were left at the site as officials scrambled to find them new homes. Eight of the dolphins were taken from Nice to Malaga in July and taken to Selwo Marina in Benalmadena. Legal challenges from around ten environmental groups, who argued the French project would simply prolong captivity, added further pressure on Beauval to reconsider.

An expensive setback for Beauval

Beauval had originally hoped to house around 25 dolphins at its new centre, including animals from both Marineland Antibes and Planète Sauvage near Nantes. Delord says over €1.5 million had already gone into planning work before the plug was pulled. Without a French home, he has warned some of the remaining animals could end up sent to venues in Asia instead, a prospect campaigners are determined to avoid. Selwo Marina will remain the base for the eight dolphins now settled in Benalmadena.