Orcas left to rot in algae-infested abandoned zoo 'doomed to die' in sad update

Daily Mirror

13-06-2025

France's last remaining orcas, Wikie and Keijo, spend their endless days swimming around a cramped concrete tank after Marineland Antibes closed permanently in January. Now campaigners warn they are doomed to die without urgent action
The two last remaining orcas living in captivity in France could be doomed to die because of government inaction on their abandoned marine park, campaigners have warned.
Wikie and her son Keijo are the last killer whales living in France and have been forced to swim around their barren, rotting tank after Marineland Antibes closed down permanently in January this year.
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Since then, the tragic orcas fill their endless days without stimulation, pining for the bonds they made with their now-dead family members. They are the last two surviving members of their original pod of four.
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Now the park has closed to the public, their environs are crumbling, with the water in their concrete tank getting dirtier by the day and stinking green algae creeping across the site. While a skeleton staff come in to feed them and provide them with minimum human interaction, Wikie and Keijo have been all but forgotten by the people they used to entertain.
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In a much smaller tank nearby, 12 bottlenose dolphins are the only other inhabitants of the rotting park - and time is running out for them, too.
Cetacean campaign group TideBreakers have been lobbying the French government to take urgent action and get the animals out of the park before it's too late.
But a row between French officials and the marine park's management - who still bear a legal duty for the welfare of the cetaceans - could drag on until all of the animals have succombed to their tragic fate.
Legislation that came in in 2021 banned entertainment shows featuring whales, dolphins and porpoises, and set a hard deadline of December 2026 for Marineland to move their animals to safety.
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But government ministers have since blocked two proposals to rehome the orcas: one to a marine zoo in Japan, and another to a whale sanctuary in Canada - which is not yet built. The Japanese offer was rejected on the grounds of animal welfare concerns, while the Canadian Whale Sanctuary Project's offer was binned in favour of a potential European sanctuary, because of the strenuous travel involved to get the orcas to North America.
A third option, to move the dolphins and two orcas to Loro Parque in Tenerife, was dismissed by an expert panel, who said the proposed tank "would not meet the minimum requirements in terms of surface area, volume and depth necessary to house the specimens in optimal conditions". Loro Parque already boasts four captive orcas of its own, including a calf born in March 2025.
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The French Ministry of Ecology said the government are still hunting for alternatives - while campaigners say there is no time to be dragging their feet.
Theme park left abandoned and 'frozen in time' where Orca whales still alive left to rot
"To date, with the exception of orcas and dolphins, all the animals have found a new habitat suited to their needs," said a government spokesperson.
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"With regard to the orcas and dolphins, an assessment by the Spanish Scientific Authority led the latter to oppose the transfer of the orcas and dolphins to Loro Parque (Tenerife) and the transfer of ten dolphins to the Madrid aquarium: the Authority concluded that the facilities did not meet the requirements in terms of surface area, volume and depth to house the specimens in optimum conditions.
"This unfavourable opinion means that authorisation cannot be granted to transfer these animals to Spain."
They added: "Pending their transfer, the Minister for Ecological Transition, Biodiversity, Forestry, Sea and Fisheries is asking Parques Reunidos, Marineland's owner, to ensure that the animals continue to be cared for pending a future solution.
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"At the same time, discussions have been held with the Italian, Greek and Spanish ministers to find a satisfactory solution that will ensure the animals' welfare.
"Although no solution has yet been found, discussions with the Italian minister have shown that the Taranto sanctuary project has the support of the authorities and could be ready within a year."
But TideBreakers say Wikie and Keijo might not have a year left if they stay in their unsafe and unsanitary tanks.
Wikie turned 24 on June 2, marking nearly a quarter of a century living in captivity. She has already witnessed the death of her son Moana, who died in October 2023, and her brother Inouk who died last March after ingesting a piece of metal that had fallen loose into his tank.
"Wikie has spent her entire life in the concrete tanks at Marineland Antibes," said TideBreakers. "Our wish for Wikie is to see her thrive in a clean, safe environment as soon as possible, where she can live a long life alongside her son, Keijo."