A non-profit organization in Nova Scotia has faced a setback in its attempt to relocate two killer whales from France to a coastal sanctuary intended for retired marine park whales. The Whale Sanctuary Project confirmed on Friday that the French government had decided to transfer the orcas, named Wikie and Keijo, to Loro Parque zoo in Spain’s Tenerife Island.
The decision comes as a disappointment to the group, which had announced plans over six years ago to establish a 40-hectare enclosure near Wine Harbour, N.S. The sanctuary, equivalent to 50 football fields in size, was designed to include floating nets to provide a natural habitat for whales retired from captivity. Experts emphasize that whales and dolphins raised in marine parks cannot be reintroduced into the wild due to their lack of essential survival skills.
Following a 2021 French law banning the captivity of whales and dolphins for entertainment purposes, Marineland Antibes, where the orcas resided, closed in January 2025. The French government agreed to a request from the whales’ owners to relocate Wikie and Keijo to Loro Parque in compliance with the law.
Despite earlier indications that the Nova Scotia facility was the preferred relocation site for the whales, recent statements from French authorities have shifted. The CEO of the Whale Sanctuary Project, Charles Vinick, expressed concerns over the decision, citing ethical implications and the ongoing reliance on performance-based activities and breeding at Loro Parque.
Vinick mentioned that construction plans for the Nova Scotia sanctuary are progressing, but the required 20-year Crown lease and federal permits for whale transfers are still pending. The group remains optimistic about securing necessary funding to complete the sanctuary and provide long-term care for whales transitioning out of captivity.
The Whale Sanctuary Project aims to establish a sanctuary that can support whales globally, aligning with the trend of governments and institutions moving away from keeping marine mammals in captivity.