Seeing the plight of Wikie, a 23-year-old female killer whale, and her 11-year-old son, Keijo, at a shut-down theme park in France breaks my heart. These majestic creatures have been left abandoned at a facility called "Frozen in Time," which ceased operations in January 2025. It's agonizing to imagine animals with such depth of emotion and intelligence relegated to a stagnant existence in captivity.

Wikie and Keijo, like all living beings, deserve a chance at a fulfilling life. These orcas not only captivate audiences worldwide but are also deeply social and emotionally aware animals. When kept in confinement without a future, their psychological and physical health can severely deteriorate. It is critical to act before their condition becomes dire.

This petition calls for the urgent relocation of Wikie and Keijo to a dedicated rehabilitation facility. In such an environment, they can begin the next chapter of their lives, learning essential survival skills for a potential release back into the wild. There, they would have the opportunity to reintegrate with a pod of killer whales, where they belong.

According to multiple studies, the mental health of captive orcas can drastically improve with appropriate rehabilitation opportunities. Conservation organizations such as the Whale Sanctuary Project have demonstrated success in rehabilitative environments for marine mammals, indicating that successful reintegration into the wild is possible.

By relocating these orcas to a rehabilitation center, we not only give them a new lease on life but also set a precedent for how we treat intelligent marine wildlife. The lack of decisive action will continue to contribute to their suffering and hinder the prospect of their reintegration into the wild.

These animals have feelings too, and I invite everyone who believes in the humane treatment of wildlife to come together for this cause. Your signature can be the stepping stone towards giving Wikie and Keijo the life they truly deserve away from captivity.

Sign the petition today to help make this change possible.