Italy to open Europe's first marine sanctuary for dolphins

A dolphin swims in the pool of the Dolphins arena of MarineLand theme park in Antibes southeastern France, on November 27, 2025. [AFP]

The Mediterranean's first sanctuary for dolphins that have lived in captivity will open off Italy next year, as demand for re-homing rises with the closure of marine parks across Europe.

"We must develop a new model for managing dolphins in a natural but supervised environment," Carmelo Fanizza, head of the San Paolo Dolphin Refuge, told AFP.