In a critical situation concerning the welfare of two orcas, Wikie and her eleven-year-old son Keijo, current developments have them in a precarious predicament. Born and raised at Marineland Antibes, a marine zoo located in southern France, these marine mammals have known nothing but life in captivity. This facility abruptly closed in January, prompting urgent discussions regarding an appropriate sanctuary for the orcas.
The French government has been urged to take decisive action regarding the relocation of the orcas, with animal rights advocates stressing the urgency of rehoming them. The most likely destination is Loro Parque, a marine zoo situated in Tenerife, Spain; however, authorities in Spain have blocked the request to transfer the orcas there. This decision poses significant implications for Wikie and Keijo’s future, as they face the uncertainty of remaining in a closed facility with no established sanctuary or rehabilitation plan outlined by either French or Spanish officials.
Lori Marino, the president of The Whale Sanctuary Project (WSP), has emphasized that the sanctuary site in Nova Scotia presents the sole viable option for the orcas at this time. Notably, the French authorities have yet to identify any alternative European destination for orcas, having already rejected a transfer to a marine zoo in Japan. The lack of a safe and suitable habitat is alarming, highlighting the inertia in addressing the plight of these animals.
Despite a previous offer to relocate the whales, the French ministry for ecology rebuffed the WSP’s request earlier in the year. Animal advocacy organizations are fervently advocating for the orcas to be placed in a sanctuary that offers more space and autonomy than their current confines, with no obligations to perform or breed. French Ecology Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher stated that a search for a European sanctuary is ongoing, but so far, no suitable options have been secured.
Marineland has expressed the need for immediate relocation of the orcas for their welfare, stating that the sanctuary option is merely a hypothetical scenario that “will take years” to implement with no guarantees of proper care. They maintain that the urgency of transferring the orcas is paramount, yet the exact pathways remain unclear due to the obstacles posed by regulations and governmental decisions.
In what many hoped would be a step towards rehoming the orcas, the application to transfer them to Loro Parque was described as a temporary measure pending the establishment of a European sanctuary. However, activists fear this transfer could become permanent, leading to a halt in the search for a long-term sanctuary solution. The extension of this situation reflects broader societal changes, as public sentiment towards marine parks increasingly shifts towards a preference for sanctuaries that prioritize animal welfare over entertainment.
The denial from the Spanish scientific panel regarding Loro Parque’s custodial capacity indicated that the facility does not meet the necessary qualifications required for housing the whales in adequate conditions. Dr. Jan Schmidt-Burbach, an animal welfare and wildlife research expert, lamented that such a decision starkly underscores a decline in the acceptability of marine parks within society.
The Whale Sanctuary Project has identified a potential sanctuary location in Port Hilford Bay, Nova Scotia, where they aim to segment an area of the bay using nets to provide a safer, more natural habitat for orcas. This site is backed by a team with successful experiences in transitioning marine animals to sanctuaries, drawing from projects such as the relocation of Keiko, the orca featured in “Free Willy.” However, unlike Keiko, who was captured in the wild, Wikie and Keijo were born into captivity, which complicates their potential release into natural waters.
As discussions continue, and while Wikie and Keijo remain at Marineland, it is imperative that timely decisions are made to enhance their quality of life. For now, they remain within the confines of a facility that has ceased operations, oblivious to the surrounding changes as the need for an immediate solution to their welfare becomes pressing. The future of these intelligent creatures hangs in the balance, and it illuminates the ongoing conflict between wildlife conservation and the realities of captivity.