The post Why the World Is Watching Two Orcas Suffer in Silence appeared first on A-Z Animals.
Orcas can live nearly a century in the wild. They rule the oceans but are curious animals, especially when it comes to humans. This inquisitive nature doesn’t always serve them well, particularly when it’s used to turn profit. Many captured end up injured, sick, or worse, a fate shared by two captive orcas at Marineland in Antibes, France. Wikie and Keijo are kept in tanks that are crumbling, filthy, and exposed to the elements. Their situation is past dire, and many are calling to action to save them before it’s too late–including Captain Kirk himself, William Shatner. With the future of these innocent orcas steeped in uncertainty, we spoke to those working to help them find freedom. Here’s what they had to say to the world that’s watching from the outside.
Wikie and Keijo: The Only Two Orcas Left
Wikie has a tragic history with Marineland, and she is not the first. President of EARTHDAY.org Kathleen Rogers shares with us that Wikie’s parents, Sharkene and Kim, were captured in Icelandic waters. They gave birth to Wikie at Marineland on June 1st, 2001. “She has never known the joys of being a free whale,” Rogers tells us. She adds that Wikie has since given birth to two male calves, Moana and Keijo. “Sadly, Moana died from acute bacterial septicemia on the night of October 17th or in the early morning of October 18th, 2023,” Rogers says. “He was 12 years old. In the wild, Orcas can live for up to 90 years.”
Kathleen Rodgers is president of EARTHDAY.org.
©EARTHDAY.org – Original
While a typical home aquarium requires weekly checks to ensure safety and proper functioning, tanks holding captive marine life operate on a much larger scale and require constant, round-the-clock maintenance. At Marineland, Wikie had a brother, Inouk, who also died before seeing a world beyond an exhibit. “Sadly, Wikie’s brother died in the park, apparently after swallowing pieces of metal that fell into his tank and deteriorating dental health from chewing on the side of the concrete pool,” Rogers says. “We cannot comment on how these events could have been specifically prevented, but they both died extremely young. Which makes it even more terrible.”
“Wikie and Keijo mourned them both.”
Kathleen Rogers, President of EARTHDAY.org
Fearing for Their Future, a Call to Action Was Made
“Our immediate concerns for Wikie and Keijo’s health are the deteriorating state of the tanks. It was recently reported in the French press that the company hired by Marineland to maintain the upkeep of the pool where Wikie and her son are housed is in a deteriorating condition,” Kathleen tells us. “According to that article, this warning has already been submitted in writing to the various authorities. So we are very worried.” This concern has reached a global level, with many people, including William Shatner, speaking out on social media platforms. In his reel, he asks for help from President Emmanuel Macron to find a way to relocate Wikie and Keijo.
“We are very grateful to Mr. Shatner for recording that special message, advocating for Wikie and Keijo. It is too early to say if there is a resolution in sight, so we need people to keep the pressure on so that Wikie and Keijo not only survive but hopefully one day can thrive too,” says Rogers. She encourages everyone to advocate as loudly as possible, hoping that this will prompt a swift response.
“Orcas are some of the most intelligent, emotionally complex animals on the planet. In the wild, they swim hundreds of miles, from deep family bonds, and pass down culture through generations.”
Kathleen Rogers, President of EARTHDAY.org
Captive Shows Ended, But Left Marine Life Stranded
Cetaceans were banned from performing in parks in France back in 2021. This law protected orcas and dolphins, but left those in captivity without a path to relocation. Rogers informs us that Wikie and Keijo are currently stuck at Marineland, with no viable option for rehoming. “The owners need to do more to find a good or at least a better outcome for them,” she says. “The tanks they are in cannot be fixed. They cannot be released into the wild as they would not survive as they were born in captivity–we need to champion their long-term survival and happiness.”
Rogers adds that, by law, all animals—including the 12 bottlenose dolphins also kept at Marineland—must be out of the park by December 2026. “We are asking President Macron, who we know cares for animals, to step in and force the Spanish company that owns Marineland to work harder to find a better outcome for them and the dolphins,” Rogers says, adding “if” these animals survive until the legal deadline for transport.
Rehoming orcas isn’t easy.
©TideBreakers – Original
Rehoming orcas is a complex and challenging process. There are currently no sanctuaries that can effectively rehabilitate them, according to Rogers. “There aren’t that many places they can go. They are both captive-born and would not survive in the wild,” she says. “We cannot release them into the ocean, sadly. And contrary to media reports, there is no orca sanctuary anywhere in the world, not in Canada or anywhere else, that can take orcas.” Rogers explains that some parks could potentially house them on a short-term basis, but funding must be in place for a permanent sanctuary. This would cost millions and would take years to secure and construct. “We feel that Wikie and Keijo’s owners need to set aside money to do this in the long term as they have profited from these animals and many more for over a decade now,” she says.
TideBreakers: The Team Exposing Marineland
Rogers believes the days of forcing captive whales and orcas to perform for food are swiftly coming to an end. “Younger generations understand that this is not fair to intelligent, sentient animals, nor is it sustainable, and they are not interested in watching animal shows like this anymore,” she says. Attention is now drawn to the groups of marine life left behind in the wake of these park closures. One group fighting to get these animals to safety is TideBreakers, led by co-founders Marketa Schusterova and Jana Richardson. Through active reporting, drone footage, and photography, they are advocating to ensure these animals are not abandoned or forgotten.
The orcas are in limbo.
©TideBreakers – Original
Maineland in Antibes, France, is one of their ongoing campaigns. It’s been labeled a significant marine emergency, and they are also demanding a call to action. “The most humane and sustainable solution to phasing out captivity is the creation of sanctuaries. Sadly, no operational sanctuaries for orcas currently exist,” the organization says. “The best interim solution would be to build a temporary holding tank for Wikie and Keijo until a sanctuary becomes available. But time is running out—this is an emergency, and it’s been reported euthanasia is a consideration.”
TideBreakers added a sense of urgency to their outcry, stating, “We are disappointed in the lack of planning and complete mismanagement of this situation by the park’s owner, Parque Reunidos, as well as authorities who went silent this past month. The spirit behind ending captivity can only become a reality if activists and captive facilities work together in the best interests of the animals, with their welfare being the utmost priority.”
How You Can Help
There’s no overstating how dire Wikie and Keijo’s situation is, and they represent many more worldwide in need of help. “Sadly, Wikie and Keijo are not the only whales in need of help. In Argentina, Kshamenk—the country’s last captive orca—has lived completely alone in a tiny, cramped, shallow concrete pool at Mundo Marino for 30 years,” Rogers tells us. “Footage from 2025 shows him lying almost motionless for hours at a time, pressed against the gate. It’s as if he is dead already.”
“There are captive dolphins and whales, orcas and belugas, all over the world that need help. We cannot look away and forget them, we just can’t.”
Kathleen Rogers, President of EARTHDAY.org
Sarah Davies, Director Communications & Media at EARTHDAY.org, believes there is strength in numbers. “We have to do better by these beautiful creatures. They have been bred in captivity to entertain people and make a profit for businesses. Now that they can no longer make money for Marineland, their lives are in jeopardy,” she says. Davies adds that, despite rumors, there is currently no orca sanctuary in Nova Scotia. This is just one of many misleading claims that have fooled people, while the truth is far more disheartening.
Drone photography documents the orcas’ plight.
©TideBreakers – Original
“We cannot just look away and assume someone else will save them. We all have to demand that they are saved and collectively call for the banning of captive whale and dolphin shows worldwide, says Davies. “What we need is for the profit-driven industry that has benefited from this to fund a sanctuary, because there is currently no orca sanctuary anywhere in the world.” Both Davies and Rogers are encouraging the public to write to President Macron. Over 4,000 EARTHDAY supporters have already written, an encouraging sign. “He [Macron] did not cause this situation, but we trust he can use his position to pressure Wikie and Keijo’s owners to do much, much more for their short-term well-being and long-term happiness,” says Rogers.
The post Why the World Is Watching Two Orcas Suffer in Silence appeared first on A-Z Animals.
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