Loro Parque: Tenerife Only Hope for Antibes Orcas
Loro Parque Group President Wolfgang Kiessling has urged French authorities to swiftly decide on transferring two orcas, Wikie and Keijo, from the closed Marineland Antibes to Loro Parque's Tenerife facility, asserting it is the only option for their survival.
Wolfgang Kiessling, president of Loro Parque Group, has called on French authorities to quickly make a responsible decision about the future of two orcas, Wikie and Keijo. These orcas have been at Marineland Antibes park since it closed more than a year ago. Loro Parque, based in Tenerife, says it's the only option to ensure the orcas survive by moving them to Tenerife.
The situation with Wikie and Keijo shows how complicated it is to manage and care for captive whales and dolphins, especially with Europe's animal welfare laws getting stricter. Loro Parque stresses that time is running out, and keeping the orcas in their current situation could harm them.
Loro Parque Group has offered its 20 years of experience looking after orcas and its facilities, which are seen as world-class. Its 'Orca Ocean' complex, which turns 20 on February 17, was built to high technical and veterinary standards to ensure the animals' well-being. The company also pointed out that its work fits with France's new law on whales and dolphins, covering education, research, and protection.
Kiessling said his group is "fully ready" to work with French and European authorities to move and house the orcas right away. He stressed that any decision should be based on science, not emotions. Kiessling criticized some animal welfare groups, calling them "true marketing companies" for suggesting solutions he believes aren't based on science or technical facts. He gave the example of a failed plan to create a sanctuary in Nova Scotia, Canada, for Wikie and Keijo. Loro Parque says this shows the huge technical, legal, logistical, and financial problems involved in such projects.
The Loro Parque Group president insisted that caring for whales and dolphins needs expert knowledge, proper facilities, and experienced teams – things that can't be put together quickly. Finally, he made it clear that their offer to take the orcas isn't about making money. Instead, it's about responsibility and animal welfare, and he guaranteed that having two more orcas wouldn't bring in more visitors.