New home needed for orcas - 17th March 2025

Wikie and Keijo are two orcas, or 'killer whales', in a marine park in France. They're the last two orcas in the country. A new French law means centres can't keep whales anymore. The problem is where to put the two animals.

Wikie, who's 23 years old, is the mother. Both she and her son Keijo were born in Marineland, in the south of France. They're still there now, but the centre has closed. The pair were nearly sent to a park in Japan, but the French government decided against it.

Some would prefer the killer whales to go to a sanctuary, where they wouldn't be used for entertainment. Last year, a whale sanctuary in Nova Scotia, Canada offered to take them. But it was felt to be too far away and too cold.

One suggestion is to create a sanctuary in the sea in Europe. However, one expert, Dr David Perpiñán, has said this is "probably the worst of the possible options."

A separate option is to send the orcas to Loro Parque, a marine zoo in Spain. That centre believes that zoos, not sanctuaries, can take care of whales properly.

While discussions continue, the pair remain in Marineland. For now, their future's uncertain.