2 Killer Whales and 12 Dolphins Abandoned at Closed Marine Park. 4 Months Later, Their Fate Is Still Uncertain

• Newly released footage of two killer whales and 12 dolphins that have been left behind at the closed Marineland Antibes in France has led to increased calls for them to be safely rehomed

• The marine park closed its doors in January 2025, citing French laws about the use of dolphins and whales in performances

• One organization has offered to adopt the whales, who were born in captivity and cannot be released into the wild

There are increased calls to find a solution for two killer whales and 12 dolphins that are still being housed in an abandoned marine park in France.

Marineland Antibes closed its doors in January 2025, citing a French law that banned the use of dolphins and whales in live performances, per the BBC. The outlet reported that those shows were responsible for attracting the majority of the park’s visitors.

Although the business has not operated since January, two orcas — mother-son pair Wikie, 23, and Keijo, 11, both of whom were born in captivity — are still being kept in tanks on the property, which is falling into disrepair.

Newly released footage obtained by the activist group TideBreakers has gone viral and shows the whales and dolphins at the site as the French government continues to debate the best course of action.

According to TideBreakers, the footage is dated May 7. It was shot from above the park and appears to show that the water has tanks containing algae.

“Tragically, [Marineland Antibes is] still home to Wikie and Keijo, the last 2 captive orcas in France. The mother and son remain trapped there, waiting for their fate in crumbling tanks,” the organization wrote in a statement on Facebook.

“The abandoned park is also home to 12 dolphins that have been left to rot in the algae-infested, deteriorating tanks. Marineland’s owners also own Shouka, Wikie’s sister and Keijo’s aunt, who lives at SeaWorld San Diego,” the statement concluded.

In a further statement shared with PEOPLE, the organization said that the fate of the animals “demands global attention.”

“If these whales become ill, this bonded pair — a mother and her son — will likely be euthanized or succumb to the deteriorating environment,” they said, noting that their tank-mate Inouk had “died after swallowing a small piece of metal, which caused severe inflammation and peritonitis.”

Although the organization is “firmly opposed to captivity,” the statement stressed that “the only other viable option may be relocation to a better facility equipped to care for orcas.”

“We are running out of options. The most humane and sustainable solution to phasing out orca captivity is the creation of sanctuaries. Sadly, no operational sanctuaries for orcas currently exist. The best interim solution would be to build a temporary holding tank for Wikie and Keijo until a sanctuary becomes available,” they said.

“But time is running out — this is an emergency, and reports suggest that euthanasia is now being seriously considered,” they claimed, adding, “After years of entertaining the public, they deserve a clean and safe environment where they can live out their remaining years with dignity.”

Marinelands Antibes is responsible for caring for the animals while they are still on the property. However, the French government will ultimately decide the fate of the animals, according to U.K. outlet, the Daily Mail.

The government did not approve of a plan to send Wikie and Keijo to Japan, and an attempt to rehome them in Spain was denied by the Spanish government, according to the BBC.

As concerns grow about the welfare of the animals, the nonprofit organization Whale Sanctuary Project is renewing calls for the French government to consider its proposal. The organization wants to build a sanctuary for the whales off the coast of Canada in the province of Nova Scotia.

In April, the organization reaffirmed its interest in re-homing the whales in a post on their website.

“The Whale Sanctuary Project is making it clear again to all parties that we are ready to work with the French government, with Marineland Antibes, and with any and all other organizations to bring Wikie and Keijo to the sanctuary we are preparing in Nova Scotia,” it read.

They cited a report by France’s General Inspectorate of the Ministry of Ecology, which described their solution to the problem as the “most credible innovative solution among the sanctuary projects.”

Their sanctuary would allow the whales to live in approximately 100 acres of ocean that would be netted off, per the BBC.

WSP would reportedly be working with a team that helped build a similar sanctuary for Keiko, a famed whale that starred in the movie Free Willy.

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Keiko’s sanctuary was only temporary as he was born in the wild and eventually joined a pod of orcas. However, the proposal for Wikie and Keijo would be permanent and a place where they could live out the remaining years of their lives.

In a statement shared with the BBC, managers for the park said that the animals “must leave now” and stressed “the extreme urgency of transferring the animals to an operational destination.”

The French government has reportedly expressed concerns that the move to Canada would be “too strenuous” for Wikie and Keijo, per the Daily Mail.

The fate of the 12 dolphins is still unclear.

PEOPLE contacted the Whale Sanctuary Project for comment but has not heard back at the time of publishing.

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