The Whale Sanctuary Blog Archives
2025

New Study Reveals Ongoing Suffering of Captive Whales and Dolphins

New peer-reviewed paper shows that serious welfare challenges persist for captive cetaceans, especially orcas and belugas.

Posted October 31, 2025 in News

Righting an Original Wrong

(Eighth in a series.) In 1861, the showman PT Barnum began capturing beluga whales for use as entertainment. The creation ...

Posted October 28, 2025 in News

Toward a Global Sanctuary Movement

(Seventh in a series.) The creation of the Nova Scotia sanctuary is the essential first step in the larger mission ...

Posted October 28, 2025 in News

Care of the Whales Before and After Coming to the Sanctuary

(Sixth in a series.) Bringing the whales to the sanctuary falls into three main phases.

Posted October 28, 2025 in News

Sanctuary Timetable

(Fifth in a series.) Capital costs for constructing the sanctuary and for rehabilitating and transporting the first whale residents, and ...

Posted October 28, 2025 in News

What “Permits” Are Needed?

(Fourth in a series.)We are often asked questions like “Do you have all the permits you need?” A brief outline ...

Posted October 28, 2025 in News

Progress at the Sanctuary Site

(Third in a series.) With a clear path ahead, we are now able to seek capital funding from donors and ...

Posted October 28, 2025 in News

The Whales Who Are Candidates for the Sanctuary

(Second in a series.) Whales who have been dominating the news over the last year include Wikie and Keijo in ...

Posted October 28, 2025 in News

Nova Scotia Sanctuary – Status Report Fall 2025

(First in a series.) Nova Scotia government's Order in Council means we now have a clear path to begin construction ...

Posted October 28, 2025 in News

Updates on the Beluga Whales at Marineland Canada

Updates from major media on the crisis at Marineland Canada while we work with ally organizations in Canada to create ...

Posted October 10, 2025 in News

Permission Denied for Marineland Canada to Export Beluga Whales to Entertainment Park in China

Minister Joanne Thompson that she could not “in good conscience” approve the export and that “to approve the request would ...

Posted October 1, 2025 in News

Peer Reviewed Paper Calls for Accredited Cetacean Sanctuaries

A peer-reviewed paper, authored by members of the Whale Sanctuary Project, National Aquarium in Baltimore, and SEA LIFE TRUST is ...

Posted May 21, 2025 in News

Spain Rejects Marineland Antibes Plan to Transfer Orcas to Zoo in Canary Islands

As Spain rejects plan to transfer orcas to zoo in Canary Islands. Whale Sanctuary Project reiterates offer to bring them ...

Posted April 14, 2025 in News

The Two Marinelands

Updates on Wikie & Keijo, the orcas at Marineland Antibes, and the 31 beluga whales at Marineland Canada

Posted March 14, 2025 in News

Whale Sanctuary Project Offers Help in Providing Sanctuary Solution for Marineland Antibes Orcas

While a coastal sanctuary in Greece or elsewhere in Mediterranean may be a solution for dolphins, it is not a ...

Posted February 16, 2025 in News

Ministry of Ecological Transition Rejects Application to Bring Orcas from Marineland Antibes to Sanctuary

Questions remain over the validity of reasons given by the ministry.

Posted January 27, 2025 in News

Conclusions of Marine Environmental Site Analyses at the Whale Sanctuary Project Site

The Whale Sanctuary Project has completed a three-year series of in-depth environmental analyses to gain a comprehensive understanding of the ...

Posted January 14, 2025 in News

2024: A Team Effort to Help the Whales Who Need It Most

Building the first sanctuary for orcas and beluga whales is truly a global collaborative effort and we are indebted to ...

Posted December 31, 2024 in News

What Kind of “Ambassador” Was the Orca Keto at Loro Parque Zoo?

In the wake of Keto’s death, the zoo may be able to replenish their diminishing collection of orcas with the ...

Posted December 12, 2024 in News

French Minister Opposes Transfer of Orcas Wikie & Keijo to Aquarium in Japan

The decision of the French minister to oppose transfer of Wikie and Keijo to Japan leaves two options: retirement to ...

Posted November 26, 2024 in News

For Wikie and Keijo, a Fork in the Road Ahead

As Marineland Antibes prepares to close its orca exhibit, two possible futures await the mother and son orcas.

Posted November 8, 2024 in News

The Honourable Murray Sinclair: 1951-2024

We are saddened to hear of the passing of the Honourable Murray Sinclair, the Anishinaabe senator, judge and leader in ...

Posted November 5, 2024 in News

Whales, Waves & Buoys

How the new Wine Harbour buoy will help ensure a safe environment for whales at the sanctuary.

Posted October 31, 2024 in News

Jane Goodall, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Sylvia Earle Endorse Sanctuary for French Orcas

A letter to the Minister for Ecological Transition, Energy, the Climate and Risk Prevention re. the future of the mother-and-son ...

Posted October 29, 2024 in News

Dr. Jane Goodall Presses for Orcas in France to Be Retired to Sanctuary in Nova Scotia

In a letter to the French Government, Dr. Jane Goodall has strongly endorsed the Whale Sanctuary Project's proposal for the ...

Posted March 31, 2024 in News

Bringing Wikie, Keijo & Inouk to Sanctuary

In response to the urgent need of three orcas held in Marineland Antibes, a French marine entertainment park, the Whale ...

Posted March 27, 2024 in News

Bill Reintroduced to U.S. Congress to Bring an End to Public Display of Captive Whales

The Strengthening Welfare in Marine Settings (SWIMS) Act would end the future capture and breeding of whales for public display.

Posted February 5, 2024 in News

One Voice and the Whale Sanctuary Project Propose Collaboration with Marineland Antibes to Retire Three Orcas to Sanctuary

A fully cooperative effort among staff and management of all parties is key to a successful outcome for Inouk, Wikie ...

Posted February 2, 2024 in For the Media, News

A Tale of Two Baby Orcas

“It’s a boy!” newspapers on the West Coast exclaimed when photos from biologist Maya Sears, taken in the Salish Sea, ...

Posted January 9, 2024 in News, Opinion

In Memory of David Reuben

This week, we received the sad news that David Reuben, one of our most generous and committed supporters, has passed ...

Posted December 21, 2023 in News

Update on Results of the ESA III Study and Laboratory Analysis

These studies of sanctuary waters, sanctuary lands on shore and submerged soils in the ocean will help us chart a ...

Posted December 5, 2023 in News

How We Can Give Sanctuary to the Whales Who Cannot Wait

The loss of yet more orcas and beluga whales at entertainment parks this year means we can no longer work, ...

Posted November 27, 2023 in News

Tokitae’s Necropsy

Having reviewed the results of the orca Tokitae's necropsy, as released to the Miami Seaquarium by the University of Georgia ...

Posted October 17, 2023 in News

Diving into the Final Environmental Site Assessment

On July 24th, a team of divers assembled at the sanctuary site in Port Hilford Bay, Nova Scotia, to conduct ...

Posted September 23, 2023 in News

Tokitae the Orca’s Legacy

For everyone following the progress of the Tokitae over the past year, the news of her sudden death, last week, ...

Posted August 23, 2023 in News

Tokitae the Orca Has Passed Away

Over the last two days, Toki started exhibiting serious signs of discomfort. Despite receiving the best possible medical care, she ...

Posted August 18, 2023 in News