The French government has rejected a proposal by the Whale Sanctuary Project to relocate two captive orcas, Wikie and Keijo, from Marineland Antibes to a proposed sanctuary in Nova Scotia, Canada. Citing concerns about water temperatures and scheduling requirements, the decision leaves the future of the orcas uncertain, with Spain's Loro Parque being a potential destination. The Whale Sanctuary Project expressed disappointment over the rejection and called for alternative solutions that prioritize the welfare of the orcas.
The Whale Sanctuary Project, a US-based non-profit organization, has been denied permission by the French government to relocate two captive orcas, Wikie and Keijo, from Marineland Antibes in France to a proposed sanctuary in Nova Scotia, Canada . The decision, communicated in a letter from the French Department of Ecological Diversity, cited concerns about water temperatures in Nova Scotia and scheduling requirements of the marine park.
\The Whale Sanctuary Project submitted its proposal last April, outlining plans for a coastal enclosure for the whales in a bay near Port Hilford, Nova Scotia. Lori Marino, president of the Whale Sanctuary Project, expressed disappointment over the French government's rejection, stating that no member of the expert panel consulted with her group regarding their concerns. She emphasized that the nine-month delay in the French government's response had effectively foreclosed the possibility of retiring Wikie and Keijo to the sanctuary before the French law deadline requiring the relocation of captive orcas and dolphins outside France by the end of 2023. \Marino pointed out that the time spent by the French government could have been used to finalize fundraising for the project and prepare for the whales' arrival, including the possibility of some of their current caregivers joining the team in Nova Scotia. She also criticized the French government's decision, stating that it would likely result in Wikie and Keijo being sent to Loro Parque, a zoo in Spain's Canary Islands, which has a controversial past. Marino called for a meeting between the French government, Marineland Antibes, and Loro Parque to find a solution that prioritizes the welfare of the two orcas. \The Whale Sanctuary Project, founded in 2016 by Marino and Charles Vinick, aims to establish North America's first coastal sanctuary for retired performing whales and dolphins. The project, announced in 2020, envisions a 40-hectare enclosure in Nova Scotia, capable of housing orcas, belugas, and dolphins. The organization highlighted the inability of whales and dolphins raised in captivity to survive in the wild, emphasizing the need for such sanctuaries. The project, initially projected to be ready in 2022, has faced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, regulatory hurdles, and environmental concerns. The $20 million project relies on private donations, with an additional $2 million needed annually for operations. \The world witnessed the opening of the first whale sanctuary in southern Iceland in 2019, established by the Sea Life Trust, which currently houses two belugas from China
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