New drone footage has revealed a grim and deteriorating scene in the south of France: the country’s last two captive killer whales, Wikie and her son Keijo, are still trapped inside a closed-down marine zoo, languishing in algae-filled tanks while authorities stall over their rehoming — raising serious concerns around animal welfare compliance, environmental health risk assessments, and legal liability tied to marine mammal care.
Animal activists are now making urgent calls to the French government to intervene, warning that the clock is ticking for the orcas’ health and safety, both of which could rapidly decline without emergency veterinary diagnostics and proper chronic illness monitoring protocols.
Stranded in a Shuttered Zoo
Marineland Antibes, the marine park near Cannes where 23-year-old Wikie and 11-year-old Keijo have lived their entire lives, shut its doors in January following a ban on dolphin and whale shows, the New York Post reports.
But while the public left, the animals didn’t — creating an ongoing insurance liability concern and potential grounds for legal advocacy in wildlife conservation law.
Aerial footage captured by TideBreakers on May 7 shows the orcas confined in what appears to be murky, neglected enclosures, surrounded by crumbling infrastructure. Twelve dolphins remain trapped in the same facility, with no current health insurance protections, access to diagnostic lab testing, or marine wellness protocols typically required for endangered species.
