Orcas Wikie and Keijo, a mother and son who performed tricks at Marineland (Antibes), will leave France for Loro Parque in Tenerife following the park's closure in 2025 due to the ban on animal shows. Groups like Born Free warn that in Tenerife they will continue to be used for entertainment and possible breeding.
The relocation as high-risk logistics for cetaceans 🐋
The transfer of orcas involves protocols of controlled sedation, containers with life support systems, and constant cardiac monitoring. Special trucks and cargo planes with regulated temperature are used. The Antibes-Tenerife distance requires technical stops to replenish water and oxygen. Each phase of the journey can stress the animals, whose immune system is affected by the change of environment and human handling.
The orcas' Plan B: changing pools, not routines 🎭
It seems Wikie and Keijo will swap the French Riviera for the Atlantic, but the script will be the same: jumping for a herring, splashing around, and posing for selfies. They might think they are going on vacation. In reality, they are just changing a heated pool and an applauding audience. That said, the climate in Tenerife is more stable; at least they won't get wet in the French rain.