Wolfgang Kiessling reaffirms his willingness to receive Wikie and Keijo, calls on the French authorities to act responsibly, and accuses activists of being “marketing companies that have misled everyone.”
The President of the Loro Parque Group, Wolfgang Kiessling, has issued a public appeal to the French authorities to take an ‘urgent and responsible’ decision regarding the future of the orcas Wikie and Keijo. The two animals have remained at Marineland Antibes for more than a year following the park’s permanent closure.
Speaking on this week’s Wild Voices podcast, Kiessling warned that the current situation cannot continue without consequences for the animals’ welfare and stressed that time is working against them. In this context, he was unequivocal:
‘Loro Parque is the only solution to save the two orcas in France from death.’
Loro Parque’s animal experts and veterinarians have two decades of experience in the care and management of orcas and operate facilities widely regarded as an international benchmark. The Orca Ocean marine complex, which will mark its 20th anniversary on 17 February, was designed in accordance with strict technical and veterinary standards to ensure the highest levels of animal welfare.
Deeply committed to environmental protection, Kiessling emphasised that for more than 20 years, scientific research carried out at Loro Parque has contributed significantly to the protection of marine wildlife and cetaceans in various parts of the world. The park’s foundation has also long been actively involved in the protection and monitoring of orcas in the Strait of Gibraltar. ‘Our activities fully comply with the recent French legislation on cetaceans, particularly in relation to educational initiatives, research, and conservation programmes supporting wild dolphins and orcas,’ he stated.
During the interview, Mr Kiessling also expressed his full readiness to cooperate with both French and European authorities and to organise the animals’ transfer and accommodation without delay:
‘We are prepared to receive them. We have the facilities, a fully dedicated team of specialists, and the necessary expertise. Our priority is to safeguard their welfare. If France grants authorisation, we will act immediately,’ he stressed.
‘Any decision must be grounded in scientific evidence, not emotional considerations,’ he added.
Kiessling was particularly critical of certain animal welfare organisations which, in his view, have shaped public debate with unrealistic proposals.
‘Many of these groups have effectively become marketing companies. They have misled the public with promises that lack any scientific or technical foundation,’ he said.
In this regard, the proposed development of a sanctuary in Nova Scotia (Canada), presented as a potential destination for Wikie and Keijo, has failed to materialise. According to Kiessling, this illustrates the considerable technical, regulatory, logistical, financial and scientific challenges inherent in such projects.
He further underlined that the management of cetaceans requires specialised expertise, appropriate infrastructure and teams with proven experience — elements that cannot be improvised.
Finally, Wolfgang Kiessling made clear that Loro Parque’s position is not driven by commercial interests, but by responsibility and animal welfare:
‘We will not attract additional visitors by housing six orcas instead of four. This is not about money. It is about responsibility and about saving the lives of two animals.’
Loro Parque also highlighted that it has the backing of leading scientific and professional bodies within the zoological and marine mammal sector across Europe and internationally, notably the European Association for Aquatic Mammals (EAAM), the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). These organisations advocate decisions based on scientific knowledge, animal welfare and technical feasibility — and, according to the Group, reach the same conclusion.
In closing the podcast, Kiessling reiterated his willingness to cooperate:
‘We stand ready to provide all necessary assistance. This is not a matter of ideology, but of saving the lives of two animals and ensuring them a dignified future within the European legal and scientific framework.’
The Loro Parque Group therefore reaffirms its full commitment to working alongside the competent authorities to deliver an immediate, technically viable and scientifically grounded solution that guarantees the health, safety and welfare of Wikie and Keijo.
