As of 2019, the following 14 European Union countries keep cetaceans. Within them, there are 33 facilities, with Spain having 11 of those.
Should you know of any updates, please contact us so we can keep this list current. We recommend that you check out CetaBase.org a non-profit organisation which documents captive cetaceans, worldwide. They have a specific section for European Union countries, with links to each facility and details about the number of individuals held at each location.
DFE is aware of the following facilities:
Acquario di Genova, ITALY
Aqualand Costa Adeje, SPAIN
Aquopolis Vilaseca, SPAIN
Attica Zoological Park, GREECE
Boudewijn Seapark, BELGIUM
Delfinariu Constanta, ROMANIA
Dolfinarium Harderwijk, THE NETHERLANDS
Ecomare, THE NETHERLANDS
Festa Dolphinarium Varna, BULGARIA
Fjord & Bælt Center, DENMARK
Jardim Zoológico de Lisboa, PORTUGAL
Kolmården Zoo, SWEDEN
Lithuania Sea Museum, LITHUANIA
L’Oceanogràfic, SPAIN
Loro Parque, SPAIN
Mediterraneo Marine Park, MALTA
Marineland Antibes, FRANCE
Marineland Cataluña, SPAIN
Marineland Mallorca, SPAIN
Mundomar Benidorm, SPAIN
Oltremare, ITALY
Palmitos Park, SPAIN
Parc Astérix, FRANCE (closing Spring 2021)
Planète Sauvage, FRANCE
Rancho Texas Lanzarote Park, SPAIN
Sea Mammal Research Centre, THE NETHERLANDS
Selwo Marina, SPAIN
Tiergarten der Stadt Nürnberg, GERMANY
Zoo Aquarium de Madrid, SPAIN
Zoo Duisburg, GERMANY
Zoomarine Italy, ITALY
Zoomarine Portugal, PORTUGAL
Dolphinaria in the EU hold a reported 312 captive cetaceans. The majority, a reported 291, are bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus and Tursiops truncatus ponticus). Orcas (Orcinus orca), Belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) and Harbour Porpoises Phocoena phocoena) are also held.