In a disturbing turn of events at the shuttered Marineland Antibes in southern France, zookeepers have resorted to an unusual and controversial practice to manage the behavior of a young orca named Keijo. The 11-year-old male orca, housed in a pool separate from his mother, Wikie, is being manually stimulated by trainers to curb his adolescent sexual urges and prevent him from attempting to breed with her. This shocking revelation, captured in overhead footage by the animal rights group TideBreakers, has sparked outrage and raised serious ethical questions about the treatment of captive orcas.
Marineland Antibes closed its doors in January 2025, leaving its orcas in limbo as French authorities, park managers, and animal rights activists struggle to agree on a plan to rehome the animals. The closure follows France’s recent legislative ban on keeping whales in marine zoos, a move celebrated by advocates for animal welfare but complicated by logistical challenges. For now, Keijo and his 24-year-old mother, Wikie, remain confined to their pools, dependent on the care of trainers at the facility.
The footage obtained by TideBreakers on August 12, 2025, shows two trainers standing at the edge of Keijo’s pool, one holding his flipper while the other massages his genitals. In a nearby pool, Wikie can be seen watching her son, separated from him due to concerns about inbreeding and potential aggression. Orcas are highly social creatures, and experts, including those cited by the BBC, warn that isolating them in separate enclosures can cause significant psychological distress.
Marineland managers defended the practice, explaining that Keijo’s sexual behavior has intensified as he reaches adolescence. A spokesperson told BBC News, “In order to avoid inbreeding with his mother and to prevent them from fighting and injuring each other, Marineland decided to sexually stimulate Keijo to relieve his tensions.” The park described the procedure as “natural and totally painless” for the orca, emphasizing that it is performed under veterinary supervision and occurs approximately once a month, as reported to France’s ecology ministry.
However, the practice has drawn sharp criticism from animal welfare experts. Valerie Greene, a former killer whale trainer at SeaWorld Orlando with a decade of experience, called the procedure highly unusual. “As a former killer whale trainer, I’ve never seen this behavior performed for anything other than attempting semen collection for artificial insemination,” Greene told TideBreakers. Her concerns are amplified by Keijo’s genetic background: his parents, Wikie and her half-sibling, are already inbred, raising fears that his semen could be used to perpetuate captive breeding programs. Marineland managers firmly denied any plans to use Keijo’s semen, stating that its sale is prohibited and any export would require French government approval, which is banned under current laws in France and other countries like the United States.
The plight of Keijo and Wikie underscores the broader challenges facing captive orcas in the wake of shifting public attitudes and stricter regulations. As marine parks face increasing scrutiny and closures, the question of what to do with these intelligent, social animals remains unresolved. Animal rights advocates argue that orcas belong in their natural ocean habitats or, at the very least, in sanctuaries designed to mimic their natural environments. However, the logistics of relocating such large and complex creatures are daunting, leaving Keijo and Wikie trapped in a situation that compromises their well-being.
The disturbing imagery of Keijo’s stimulation has ignited a firestorm of debate, with many calling for urgent action to address the welfare of these orcas. As the world watches, the fate of Keijo and Wikie hangs in the balance, a stark reminder of the ethical dilemmas posed by keeping such majestic creatures in captivity.