Antibes, Thursday, 21 August 2025.
EarthDay.org has launched an urgent campaign to save two captive orcas, Wikie and Keijo, trapped in the deteriorating Marineland Antibes facility in France. Following the 2021 French law banning whale and dolphin captivity, the organization demands a transparent relocation plan from Parques Reunidos. The situation has drawn international attention, with Star Trek actor William Shatner personally appealing to French President Emmanuel Macron to intervene before the animals’ health further declines. The orcas remain in crumbling facilities, with no clear path to a sanctuary or protected environment, highlighting the complex challenges of marine mammal welfare and captivity.
Urgent Campaign for Captive Orcas
EarthDay.org has intensified its efforts to rescue two captive orcas, Wikie and her son Keijo, from the abandoned Marineland Antibes facility in France. The organization is demanding a comprehensive relocation strategy from Parques Reunidos, the Spanish multinational theme park company that owns the facility [1]. The orcas remain trapped in deteriorating conditions since the park’s closure in January 2025, raising significant animal welfare concerns [2].
Celebrity Intervention
Renowned Star Trek actor William Shatner, now 94 years old, has personally entered the campaign by recording a video message directly appealing to French President Emmanuel Macron. Shatner urgently calls for the immediate relocation of Wikie and Keijo to a ‘safe and healthy location’ before it becomes too late [3]. His involvement mirrors his iconic role in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, where his character rescued marine mammals, adding a powerful narrative dimension to the conservation effort [4].
Complex Relocation Challenges
The situation is complicated by the fact that Wikie and Keijo were born in captivity, making their potential release into the wild impossible [5]. Attempts to transfer the animals to sanctuaries in Canada or Spain have thus far been unsuccessful, with French authorities showing reluctance to intervene [6]. The orcas continue to swim in murky, confined pools, their health progressively deteriorating [2].
Legal and Ethical Context
The case highlights the broader implications of the 2021 French law banning whale and dolphin captivity [1]. Two other orcas at Marineland, Moana and Inouk, have already died in the facility [2]. EarthDay.org is not only demanding the orcas’ relocation but also calling on Marineland to permanently cease breeding marine mammals [3].
Bronnen