A non-profit organization in Nova Scotia has faced disappointment in its attempt to relocate two orcas from France to a coastal sanctuary designed for retired whales from marine parks. The Whale Sanctuary Project confirmed on Friday that the French government had chosen to transfer the killer whales, Wikie and her son Keijo, to Loro Parque zoo in Tenerife, Spain.
This development represents a significant setback for the privately funded group, which had envisioned establishing a 40-hectare enclosure near Wine Harbour, N.S., over six years ago. The expansive sanctuary, equivalent to 50 football fields, was planned to feature a system of floating nets extending from the shore. Experts emphasize that captive whales and dolphins lack essential survival skills needed for release back into the wild.
The animal welfare organization announced that the French government had approved a request from the previous owners of the orcas at Marineland Antibes in southern France to relocate the whales to the zoo on the Canary Islands. Marineland Antibes ceased operations in January 2025 to comply with a French law enacted in 2021 prohibiting the captivity of whales and dolphins for entertainment purposes, a regulation that Canada also adopted in 2019.
In December, the French minister overseeing the relocation indicated Nova Scotia as the preferred destination for the whales, citing the project as the “sole ethical, credible, and legally compliant solution.” However, in a recent committee meeting, Mathieu Lefevre, the minister responsible for ecological transition, mentioned that Marineland Antibes retained ownership of the orcas and expressed disinterest in transferring them to Canada.
Charles Vinick, CEO of the Whale Sanctuary Project, expressed disappointment over the decision, highlighting the intended purpose of the 2021 French law to end the use of whales and dolphins for entertainment and breeding in captivity. Vinick raised concerns about Loro Parque’s reliance on performance-based programming and breeding practices, warning that transferring Wikie and Keijo to such an environment could perpetuate the system the law seeks to eliminate.
Despite the setback, construction planning continues at the designated coastal site in Nova Scotia. While the provincial government approved the $15-million sanctuary project last October, the necessary 20-year Crown lease has yet to be finalized, and federal permits are required before any whales can be relocated.
The Whale Sanctuary Project remains optimistic about securing the essential funding to complete the sanctuary and provide long-term care for whales transitioning out of captivity. The organization reaffirmed its commitment to establishing a sanctuary that can assist whales in need globally while aligning with the growing trend of governments and institutions moving away from keeping marine mammals in captivity.
