HALIFAX — The government of France says it has yet to decide the fate of two captive killer whales that a U.S. group is hoping to bring to a proposed coastal refuge in Nova Scotia.

The French government had said it would make a decision by March 31.

But the country’s minister responsible for ecological transition told a French senate committee this week that the government respects the fact that the two orcas are the private property of Marineland Antibes in the south of France.

The marine theme park closed in January 2025 after the French government passed a law that will prohibit cetaceans from being kept in captivity for entertainment purposes by the end of this year.

On Tuesday, the minister overseeing the legislation, Mathieu Lefèvre, reminded the committee that the whales’ owners are opposed to the Whale Sanctuary Project’s plan to move the whales to Canada.

Earlier this week, the Whale Sanctuary Project issued a statement saying it was awaiting clarity from France regarding the orcas Wikie and Keijo.

“We stand ready to work in partnership with governments to support a safe and successful transition for (these) whales,” said Charles Vinick, CEO of the project, which was first announced more than six years ago. “This is about aligning policy decisions with credible, welfare-first solutions.”


This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 9, 2026.

The Canadian Press