In a monumental victory for orcas and a long-overdue reckoning for the captivity industry, the French government has officially endorsed the transfer of Wikie and her son Keijo to a seaside whale sanctuary. While final logistical and administrative approvals are still being secured, this historic green light brings an end to their lives confined to concrete tanks and marks a decisive step toward justice, dignity, and freedom.

The endorsement comes after sustained international pressure from advocates and organizations, including In Defense of Animals, who refused to accept captivity as normal or humane. Thousands of letters were sent, and while we must remain vigilant as the final permits are processed, we have a victory at last.

Wikie and Keijo have spent their lives imprisoned at Marineland Antibes, where they were exploited for entertainment and denied the vast, complex ocean environment their species depends on. Keijo was born into captivity, never knowing open water. Wikie was repeatedly bred and forced to perform, stripped of autonomy year after year—all for profit.

Their approved destination is a compassionate seaside sanctuary developed by the Whale Sanctuary Project in Nova Scotia. Unlike marine parks, this protected ocean-based habitat is designed to meet the physical, emotional, and social needs of formerly captive whales. There will be no performances, no breeding, and no concrete walls. This is not a larger tank; this is the retirement these animals deserve.

This decision sends a powerful message that reaches far beyond Wikie and Keijo. While we await the final signatures to set the transport in motion, public consciousness is shifting. Governments are beginning to act, and the truth can no longer be ignored: orcas do not belong in captivity. Approvals like this accelerate the decline of an industry that has caused immeasurable harm and set a precedent that will help unlock freedom for other captive orcas still waiting.

In Defense of Animals celebrates this breakthrough with our supporters, who would not give up the fight until Wikie and Keijo had the promise of a future free of exploitation.