Marineland Antibes, the French government and animal welfare groups all agree on the need to rehome the listless killer whales but no one can agree where
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n a sprawling aquarium complex in south-eastern France that once drew half a million visitors a year, only a few dozen people now move between pools that contain the last remaining marine mammals of Marineland Antibes. Weeds grow on walkways, the stands are empty and algae grows in the pools, giving the water a greenish hue.
It is here that Wikie and Keijo, a mother and son pair of orcas, are floating. They were born in these pools, and for decades they performed in shows for crowds. But since the park’s closure in January 2025, they no longer have an audience. When they are alone, they “log”, or float at the water’s surface, according to a court-ordered report released last April.
Since 2021, when a French law was passed prohibiting keeping cetaceans in captivity, the question of what to do with Wikie and Keijo has been debated repeatedly. Now it is about to come to a head at a crunch meeting on Monday when the French government, animal welfare organisations and Marineland Antibes will come together to decide their fate.
