French Govt Makes Wrong Choice for Last Orcas
Q&A with David Phillips on Wikie, Keijo, and Seaside Sanctuaries
Interview by Mark J. Palmer
David Phillips, Executive Director of the International Marine Mammal Project (IMMP) of Earth Island Institute, also serves on the Board of Directors of the Whale Sanctuary Project. For the past year, he has worked to relocate two captive orcas in France, Wikie and Keijo, to a seaside sanctuary in Nova Scotia.
Is it definite that Wikie and Keijo in France will be transferred to a zoo in Spain?
No — not yet. There is still time to stop it. A court order currently prohibits the export of the orcas due to health concerns. Sending them to a facility with a poor track record for orca survival, as is being proposed, would be disastrous. Public sentiment in France and globally strongly supports relocating them to a seaside sanctuary. We must act now to prevent a tragic mistake.
Why is the French Ministry allowing this transfer to Loro Parque in Spain?
The Ministry claims it has no authority to intervene, leaving the decision to Marineland Antibes, the amusement park currently holding them. This is a feeble excuse to avoid responsibility. France passed a law banning orca captivity because it deemed concrete tanks inhumane. Sending them to another concrete tank in Loro Parque, an aquarium in Spain’s Canary Islands, contradicts the spirit and intent of that very law.
How does this decision fit into the global movement against orca captivity?
Public opposition to keeping orcas in captivity has grown dramatically. Milestones such as the Free Willy movie and Keiko’s return to the wild, along with the documentaries Blackfish and The Cove, have exposed the cruelty of orca captivity.
Many countries are acting: Canada, France, and South Korea have legal bans on orca captivity. The US has only one remaining company holding orcas. The EU has just one facility (Loro Parque) keeping, and abusing, captive orcas.
Despite this, some amusement parks continue to prioritize profits and oppose retirement of orcas to sanctuaries. They want to squeeze as much as they can before all captive orcas die.
But the trend is clear: orcas belong in the ocean, not in captivity. Holding orcas in concrete tanks must end.
Why are seaside sanctuaries the best option for captive orcas?
Orcas are intelligent, social animals who roam vast distances in the wild. In captivity, they suffer from stress, health problems, and shortened lifespans. Many are subjected to forced breeding programs and invasive artificial insemination.
Seaside sanctuaries provide a healthier, more natural alternative. Some orcas may be candidates for full release; others—like Wikie and Keijo—would thrive in a protected, spacious ocean environment, free from performances and forced breeding. They would still be fed and receive veterinary care for the rest of their lives.
Who are Wikie and Keijo, and why are they important?
Wikie is a 23-year-old female orca, and Keijo, her son, is 11 years old. Both were born in captivity; Wikie’s parents were captured in Iceland.
They have no pod to return to in the wild, but they can stay together as a family in a seaside sanctuary. The Whale Sanctuary Project in Nova Scotia can provide them with an enriched, spacious environment.
Experts and conservationists worldwide support this relocation. The French Ministry’s Inspector General, after a thorough review, solidly recommended the sanctuary is the best option. The Whale Sanctuary Project committed to being fully operational by the end of June 2025, much faster than the Ministry’s requirement of late 2025.
What will happen if Wikie and Keijo go to Loro Parque Zoo in Spain?
It would be a tragedy for these orcas. Four orcas have died at Loro Parque since 2021. Wikie and Keijo would be forced into breeding programs. They would likely be separated.
They would spend the rest of their lives in small concrete tanks, performing tricks for profit.
For the French Government, it would be a shameful failure, making a mockery of the spirit and the letter of the French law to address the welfare of captive animals.
Is there still time to act?
Wikie and Keijo deserve better, and here at the International Marine Mammal Project, we’re not giving up. Their relocation to a seaside sanctuary would set a precedent for how captive orcas can thrive outside of entertainment parks.
We will continue pressing the French government to honor the spirit and letter of the law and prevent this transfer before it’s too late.
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