France Blocks Transfer of Captive Orcas to Japan Over Animal Welfare Concerns

The French government opposes sending Marineland's last two orcas to Japan, citing inadequate animal welfare regulations and suggesting alternatives in Europe.

French Minister of Ecological Transition Agnès Pannier-Runacher has rejected Marineland's plan to transfer two orcas, Wikie and Keijo, to Kobe, Japan, due to insufficient animal welfare laws in the country.
The orcas, born in captivity in Antibes, must leave Marineland by December 2026 under a 2021 law banning the detention of cetaceans in France.
Animal rights groups, including One Voice, advocate for relocating the orcas to a sanctuary in Nova Scotia, Canada, but Marineland has deemed this option unfeasible.
The French government has suggested European parks, such as one in Tenerife, Spain, which comply with stricter animal welfare standards, as potential destinations.
The decision follows the recent deaths of two other orcas at Marineland, raising concerns about the well-being of the remaining animals and the conditions of their transfer.