Pacma Demands Release of CSIC Report Opposing Orca Transfer to Loro Parque
The Spanish Animalist Party (Pacma) is demanding the release of a sensitive CSIC report that reportedly advises against transferring two orcas from a closed French park to Loro Parque in Tenerife.
Transparency in how protected species are managed is back in the spotlight after the Animalist Party (Pacma) formally requested that the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) release a sensitive technical report. The document reportedly advises against moving two orcas from Marineland Antibes in France to Loro Parque in Tenerife. The report was allegedly prepared by the National Museum of Natural Sciences, which oversees CITES convention compliance in Spain.
The controversy centers on the future of 24-year-old Wikie and her 11-year-old calf, Keijo. The pair has been in limbo since the French park closed in early 2025, following 2021 legislation that bans keeping cetaceans in captivity. French authorities have been weighing their options, including moving the orcas to a marine sanctuary—the choice favored by animal rights groups—or transferring them to Loro Parque, which already houses other orcas.
Pacma is not only calling for the report to be made public but is also demanding transparency regarding the scientific criteria used to evaluate the Tenerife facility. The party wants to know if the administrative process is still ongoing, if the facility can address the experts' concerns, and if the CSIC might issue a new resolution.
These concerns are echoed by the French advisory body IGEDD, which has highlighted the mortality rate at Loro Parque—where Pacma reports four orcas have died in the last five years—as well as the potential impact a move would have on the animals' social structure and health. As the ethics of keeping animals in captivity face increasing scrutiny, the demand for scientific rigor has become central to the debate, shifting the focus from simple logistics to the protection of the animals themselves.