Orcas abandoned in shuttered marine park filmed in algae-infested pool months after closure: Must leave now

France’s last two captive orcas were filmed stranded in an algae-infested marine park near Cannes months after closing, leaving the fate of the marine mammals uncertain.Animal activists have circulated footage of the killer whales’ plight with the hopes that the French government will rehome them before it’s too late.“The orcas need to be removed from dangerous conditions that are posing significant risks to their health and safety,” pleaded Marketa Schusterova, co-founder of the animal advocacy group TideBreakers, which shared the heartbreaking video, South West News Service reported.Marineland Antibes had reportedly shuttered on January 5th in line with French bans on dolphin and whale shows enacted in 2021, leaving the two orcas Wikie, 23, and her 11-year-old son Keijo trapped inside their pens along with 12 dolphins.

Heartrending aerial footage shows the cetaceans languishing in algae-choked pools in a derelict stadium like a scene out of a post-apocalyptic Sea World.“The situation in Marineland Antibes is an emergency and needs worldwide attention,” lamented Schusterova.

“These are the last two remaining orcas in captivity in France and they should be moved quickly.”Unfortunately, campaigns to rehouse the majestic beasts have so far fallen flat with French authorities blocking efforts to transfer the animals to a marine zoo in Japan.Meanwhile, Spanish authorities rejected a proposal to move the animals to Loro Parque marine park in Tenerife, Spain, claiming that the facility — which is already home to four orcas — did have enough space to “house the specimens in optimal conditions,” BBC reported.Lori Marino, president of The Whale Sanctuary Project (WSP), is currently campaigning to have Wikie and Keijo rehomed to their site in Nova Scotia, Canada, which she feels could be the “only option left.”While their previous rehoming plea was rejected by the French Ministry for Ecology earlier this year, the group has re-upped the bid to ...