The Whale Sanctuary Blog

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Marineland Beluga Transfers: End of a Crisis but Hardly a ‘Rescue’

Years of rejected retirement solutions and inadequate government planning left captive whales with no truly humane option.

Posted July 21, 2026 in For the Media, News

Groundbreaking at the Sanctuary Site

On Friday afternoon, June 19th, elected government officials, representatives of the Indigenous Mi’kmaw community, local residents and special guests gathered ...

Posted July 14, 2026 in News

Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs and Whale Sanctuary Project Sign Landmark Agreement to Advance Marine Stewardship and Education

Memorandum of Understanding acknowledges shared respect for the Wksitqamuk (Earth) and Mi’kmaw worldviews about the environment and all living things.

Posted July 9, 2026 in News

Marineland Canada’s Beluga Whales Going to U.S. Marine Entertainment Facilities

The 30 surviving beluga whales at Marineland Canada will be distributed among commercial facilities in the United States.

Posted July 8, 2026 in News

On Losing Wikie and Keijo

Had the Minister kept his word and followed French law, Wiki and Keijo would have had a different future – ...

Posted May 19, 2026 in News, Opinion

Interview with Timmy the Humpback Whale’s Rescue Team

TV host Nicolette de Vidar witnessed much of the effort to rescue Timmy the humpback whale. She has interviewed five ...

Posted May 18, 2026 in News

Summary of Events Surrounding Release of Timmy the Whale

Jeff Foster, the Whale Sanctuary Project’s Whale Transfer & Rehab Coordinator, was the designated lead in the humpback whale Timmy's ...

Posted May 16, 2026 in For the Media, News

A Whale Sanctuary Project Comment on the Stranded Humpback Whale Timmy

We are greatly saddened to hear of the passing of “Timmy” the whale, whose journey touched the hearts of millions ...

Posted May 16, 2026 in For the Media, News

Whale Sanctuary Project Responds to French Decision to Transfer Wikie and Keijo to Loro Parque Zoo

Outcome for the mother-and-son orcas is deeply concerning from both a legal and animal welfare perspective.

Posted May 16, 2026 in For the Media, News

Watch Dr. Lori Marino’s Conversation with the Director of the SETI Institute

In the lead-up to the Drake Awards ceremony, at which she is this year's honoree, Dr. Lori Marino, Founder of ...

Posted May 14, 2026 in News

Uncertainty Surrounds Release of Timmy the Humpback Whale

Based on information from the organizers and the funders of the rescue effort, we understand that Timmy the humpback whale ...

Posted May 2, 2026 in For the Media, News

Whale Sanctuary Project’s Whale Aid Team Assisting in Humpback Rescue

(Also, check this post for regular updates.) Jeff Foster, Whale Sanctuary’s Animal Transfer & Rehab Coordinator, with Mike Partica and ...

Posted April 27, 2026 in News

New Funding Commitments as France Continues Review of Options

New sanctuary funding strengthens construction momentum as global demand for whale sanctuary solutions grows.

Posted April 8, 2026 in For the Media, News

SETI Institute Honors Dr. Lori Marino with 2026 Drake Award

SETI recognizes the value of understanding the nature of intelligence and directing it to scientific, ethical, and social change.

Posted April 3, 2026 in For the Media, News

Pre-Construction Mobilization at the Sanctuary Site

Nova Scotia contractor retained as Whale Sanctuary site preparation advances with a commitment to Canadian materials.

Posted March 11, 2026 in For the Media, News

Report from Our Meeting with the French Government

The purpose of the meeting, Minister Mathieu Lefèvre said, was “to bring together all stakeholders” who are concerned with the ...

Posted February 27, 2026 in News

Whale Sanctuary Project Set to Enter Construction Phase

The Whale Sanctuary Project is set to enter the construction phase of its Nova Scotia ocean sanctuary, marking a major ...

Posted February 17, 2026 in For the Media, News

Next Week in Paris . . .

The French government will be convening a meeting to discuss the future care of the two orcas and the 12 ...

Posted February 12, 2026 in News

The Last Stand of the Anti-Sanctuary Machine

Wild animal sanctuaries are being subjected to increasingly aggressive tactics by corporations and groups that are opposed to ethical societal ...

Posted January 14, 2026 in News, Opinion

Who Are the Mother-and-Son Orcas Wikie and Keijo?

The story of Wikie and Keijo and their family is typical of captive whales around the world. The specific details ...

Posted January 5, 2026 in News, Opinion

Katina – The Unnatural Life of a Captive Matriarch

Katina was highly intelligent and sweet-natured. SeaWorld considered her a “successful” orca. But she was a slave who managed to ...

Posted December 27, 2025 in News

On the Passing of Orca Kshamenk

His death spurs us onward in the knowledge that the days of forcing these intelligent beings to do our bidding ...

Posted December 15, 2025 in News

French Government Issues Its Formal Decision for Orcas Wikie & Keijo

Official statement of the French government, December 13th, regarding the future of the mother-and-son orcas Wikie and Keijo at Marineland ...

Posted December 13, 2025 in News

French Government Affirms Effort to Bring Orcas to Sanctuary

Collaborative effort now needed among government agencies, owners, sanctuary, and benefactors and donors to complete construction and welcome whales.

Posted December 12, 2025 in News

French Government Initiates Further Discussion re. Orcas Wikie & Keijo

French government invites Whale Sanctuary Project to explore possibility of orcas coming to sanctuary in Nova Scotia.

Posted December 11, 2025 in For the Media, News

Time to End Keeping Whales and Dolphins in Captivity

Text of an opinion essay in The Globe and Mail, Canada’s leading newspaper, by Dr. Lori Marino, about recent findings ...

Posted November 20, 2025 in News

Let’s Get the Narrative Straight

As more captive cetacean facilities close, the industry is claiming that animal advocacy organizations are to blame for the lack ...

Posted November 11, 2025 in News, Opinion

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 ...