Far from dead in the water, N.S. sanctuary hopes whales arrive in 2025

Charity eyeing 2 orcas at soon-to-be-defunct Marineland park in France

Luke Ettinger · CBC News

It may be a cruel irony that a dead whale washed ashore in Wine Harbour, N.S., in December about two kilometres from a proposed whale sanctuary that is once again readjusting its timeline. 

For years, the Whale Sanctuary Project hoped to see orcas, belugas and the like from marine parks retired in an enclosure on Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore.

Charles Vinick, CEO of the Whale Sanctuary Project, said the U.S.-based charity at one point was optimistic 2024 would be that year.

“We have consistently positioned ourselves to be as ready as possible as whales need us and need sanctuary,” said Vinick in an interview after visiting Nova Scotia in December.

“We have submitted everything that the provincial and federal government is looking to see from us,” he said.

Charles Vinick is the CEO of the Whale Sanctuary Project. He previously worked on the Keiko Project that was made famous through the Free Willy films. (Whale Sanctuary Project)

The charity is in the midst of making a case to be the new caretakers for two orcas in France.

“So we’re hoping that will be the case, but it is up to the French government to make a decision about where these animals may go,” Vinick said.

The orcas are now at Marineland Antibes, which will close permanently on Monday. The park has until December 2026 to part with the whales in accordance with a national law passed in 2021.

2 options for orcas 

A report provided to the French government recommends issuing a permit to transport the whales to the proposed sanctuary in Nova Scotia.

The alternative is to relocate the orcas to Loro Parque in Spain where they would live in a pool. In November, the French minister of ecology said she would not approve a transfer of the animals to an aquarium in Japan due to the distance and concerns about lagging animal welfare laws.

“Our interest in housing these animals is just as Loro Parque has done for many, many years with any animal in need of a home. We are happy to help in any way possible,” said Javier Almunia, the director of the Loro Parque Foundation.

Almunia said sanctuaries in natural waters may not guarantee better welfare for animals who have previously lived in controlled environments.

• N.S. sanctuary could be a new home for whales in captivity. But some aren’t convinced

• After sustained pressure on Marineland probe, Ontario animal welfare body opens up

He said criticism of multiple orca deaths at Loro Parque, including by the Whale Sanctuary Project, are unreasonable. He said the deaths were not related to animal welfare.

“If you have live orcas in the sanctuary, sooner or later you will have orcas dying in the sanctuary. So I don’t think that this is really an argument,” Almunia said.

On the contrary, Vinick said the animals would be better off in a sanctuary. If approval is received, he said the pair could arrive at the sanctuary site in Barrachois Cove sometime in 2025.

‘But most importantly fundraising’ 

“That’s certainly dependent not only on the rest of the work we have to do, but most importantly fundraising.”

The first phase of the project would see the whales live in a bay pen, according to Vinick. He said the charity is continuing to look for ways to reduce costs, but he wasn’t willing to provide a fundraising goal or progress to CBC News.

“We’re making really good progress,” he said.

“If we get approval from the French government for these two orcas to come to Nova Scotia, that will help the fundraising.”

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