Another plan to send them to Loro Parque in Tenerife — already home to four orcas — was also halted after a Spanish scientific panel concluded the facilities did “not meet the minimum requirements in terms of surface area.
Volume and depth necessary to house the specimens in optimal conditions.”
Dr. Jan Schmidt-Burbach of World Animal Protection told the BBC that the decision was “unexpected but rational.”
Adding that it “perfectly illustrates the fact that marine parks are an outdated industry with dropping acceptability” in society—a statement that echoes concerns typically seen in medical ethics and public health compliance frameworks.
Canada Could Be Their Last Chance
Now, animal welfare groups are urging the French government to approve a transfer to what may be the only viable remaining option: a sanctuary in Port Hilford Bay, Nova Scotia, run by the Whale Sanctuary Project (WSP).
A registered organization with robust marine wellness protocols, environmental insurance coverage, and healthcare cost structures designed for long-term orca care.
Lori Marino, president of the WSP—whose previous proposal was rejected by the French ecology ministry—says it is the “only option left.”
