French Government Denies Orcas' Relocation to Nova Scotia Sanctuary, Project Faces Setback

📅 Today

The Whale Sanctuary Project in Nova Scotia faces a significant setback as the French government decides to send two orcas to a zoo in Spain instead of the proposed seaside refuge. The project aims to provide a home for whales retired from marine parks.

In Halifax, a non-profit organization in Nova Scotia has encountered a significant obstacle in its efforts to relocate two orcas from France to a seaside sanctuary intended for whales retired from marine entertainment. The Whale Sanctuary Project confirmed that the French government has opted to send the orcas, Wikie and her son Keijo, to Loro Parque, a zoo located on Tenerife Island in Spain, off the coast of Africa. This decision represents a major setback for the privately funded organization, which has been working for over six years to establish a 40-hectare enclosure near Wine Harbour, Nova Scotia. This area is approximately the size of 50 football fields and is designed to include a ring of floating nets extending from the land. Experts in marine animal welfare note that whales and dolphins raised in captivity cannot be returned to their natural habitats due to a lack of essential survival skills. The Whale Sanctuary Project released a statement indicating that the French government had acted upon a request from the whales' owners at Marineland Antibes, a facility in southern France that has since closed. The closure was mandated by a 2021 French law prohibiting the captivity of whales and dolphins for entertainment purposes. Canada enacted a similar prohibition in 2019. In December, a French minister had previously indicated that the Nova Scotia facility was the preferred relocation site for the orcas, describing the initiative as the only ethical, credible, and legally compliant solution. However, in a shift of stance last month, Mathieu Lefèvre, the minister responsible for ecological transition, clarified that the orcas were the private property of Marineland Antibes. He remarked during a committee meeting in April, "Regarding Canada, I would just note that Marineland doesn’t want a transfer to Canada." Charles Vinick, the CEO of the Whale Sanctuary Project, expressed that the decision represents a devastating outcome for the whales involved. He emphasized that the 2021 French law was enacted to eliminate the exploitation of whales and dolphins for entertainment and breeding purposes. "The law explicitly prohibits these practices," he stated. "However, Loro Parque continues to rely on performance-based programming and breeding, particularly following the deaths of four orcas at the facility since 2019." Vinick warned that transferring Wikie and Keijo to such an environment risks perpetuating the very system that the law aimed to dismantle. Despite the setback, Vinick confirmed that construction planning at the coastal site on Nova Scotia’s eastern shore is ongoing. Earlier this month, a representative from Nova Scotia’s Natural Resources Department confirmed that the necessary 20-year Crown lease for the project has not yet been signed, despite the provincial government announcing its approval for the $15 million initiative in October. Additionally, project organizers must secure a series of federal permits before any whales can be transferred. The Whale Sanctuary Project remains optimistic about securing the funding required to complete the sanctuary and ensure the long-term care of whales transitioning out of captivity. The group reiterated its commitment to building a sanctuary that can support whales in need globally and provide a viable future as more governments and institutions move away from the practice of captivity.

Related Posts