The French government has invited the Whale Sanctuary Project to explore the possibility of the orcas Wikie and Keijo coming to the sanctuary we are establishing in Nova Scotia.
This approach comes a year after the entertainment park Marineland Antibes closed its doors to the public and the government began working with Marineland to find a solution for the two mother-and-son whales.
The need to retire Wikie and Keijo from public performance was first prompted in 2020, when Minister Barbara Pompili announced a plan to bring an end to keeping cetaceans in captivity for the purposes of entertainment. In 2024, Minister Agnès Pannier‑Runacher ruled against Marineland Antibes sending the whales to an aquarium in Japan. And early in 2025, the Spanish government foreclosed the possibility of Marineland sending them to the Loro Parque zoo. Any possibility of finding a suitable location in Europe has now apparently also faded.
We appreciate the government reaching out to us, and we have responded that we will help in any way we can and will work with them to see if the Nova Scotia sanctuary can be a solution for Wikie and Keijo. Any such plan will require close collaboration among the Whale Sanctuary team, the government, and the care team at Marineland Antibes, with all three working together to do what is best for the whales.
We are currently in direct contact with the new Minister of Ecological Transition with a view to seeing if the Nova Scotia sanctuary can be a solution for the whales.
For more information and background:
Spain Rejects Plan to Transfer Orcas to Zoo in Canary Islands – April 2025
Whale Sanctuary Project Offers Help in Providing Solution for Orcas Feb 2025
Ministry Rejects Application to Bring Orcas from Antibes to Sanctuary – Jan 2025
French Minister Opposes Transfer of Wikie & Keijo to Aquarium in Japan – Nov 2024
French Government Prioritizes “Well-being” of Captive Orcas Wikie & Keijo – Oct 2024
Whale Sanctuary Project is “Most Credible Innovative Solution” – Oct 2024
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