EARTHDAY.ORG CALLS FOR URGENT ACTION TO SAVE TWO CAPTIVE ORCAS & AND 12 DOLPHINS TRAPPED IN CLOSED FACILITY IN FRANCE

Legendary Star Trek actor WILLIAM SHATNER joins EDO and calls for President Macron to help Wikie and Keijo.

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, August 20, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Washington, DC (August 20, 2025) – EARTHDAY.ORG and many other of our partner organizations, remain gravely concerned about the future of France’s two beloved captive orcas, Keijo and his mother Wikie, who remain trapped in the crumbling facilities of Marineland, Antibes, France.

In 2021, France passed a landmark law banning whales and dolphins from being held in captivity and from live performances, due to animal welfare concerns. The new French law forced Marineland, owned by the Spanish multinational company Parques Reunidos, to close. Since then, the lives of Wikie and her 11-year-old son Keijo have been in limbo.

Two orcas have already died in this park, Moana, Wikie’s first born son and Inouk, her brother. Over the past few months drone footage has captured the orcas’ tanks filling with algae, while the crumbling walls are possibly releasing sediment directly into their tank water. Since then, even more disturbing drone footage was captured by TideBreakers on August 12, 2025. It is hard to watch.

The video clearly shows Keijo’s sperm being taken by Marineland. They claim that they are collecting it to prevent Keijo from trying to mate with his mother. They also reported that their goal was to transfer Keijo to another facility so that he can “meet other females besides his mother,” indicating the potentially continued inhumane practice of breeding more captive orcas for human entertainment.

“We are asking Parques Reunidos to step up and be transparent with both the French government and the public - and release their plan to transfer Wikie, her son Keijo and the 12 dolphins trapped in their park to a top-rated facility We also call on Marineland to agree to end the practice of breeding more orcas and other marine mammals. Our ongoing priority is to secure the most compassionate and responsible outcome for Wikie and Keijo, and the 12 dolphins.” Kathleen Rogers, President, EARTHDAY.ORG

EARTHDAY.ORG is committed to ending the practice of breeding orcas and other marine mammals for captivity. We are also committed to raising the bar for marine entertainment parks to care for the remaining captive orcas and other marine species with dignity. In Argentina for example the last captive orca in Latin America, Kshamenk, has been living alone in a tiny tank at Mundo Marino Aquarium, in Buenos Aires, since 1992.

Across the world activists are calling for facilities that hold captive marine mammals to be held to much higher standards of care. EARTHDAY.ORG and our partners are committed to making this happen. Join us in trying to save Keijo and his mother Wikie, by pressuring the French government to intervene immediately to ensure a humane, sustainable future for these animals and fulfill France’s commitment to animal welfare. Write directly to President Emmanuel Macron.

About EARTHDAY.ORG: Our founders created and organized the very first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. Since then, EARTHDAY.ORG has mobilized over one billion people annually on Earth Day, and every other day, to protect the planet. Our mission is to diversify, educate, and activate the environmental community worldwide. As the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement. We work with more than 150,000 partners in nearly 192 countries to build environmental democracy. Learn more at EARTHDAY.ORG.

For Media Inquiries/quotes/comment and interviews:
Sarah Davies, davies@earthday.org, +1 240 463 1341 (Washington DC)
Terran Fielder, fielder@earthday.org, + 1 661 444 4436 (Washington DC)

Tom Cosgrove
EARTHDAY.ORG
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Star Trek Star William Shatner Urges President Macron to Save Captive Orcas Wikie & Keijo

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