Last Updated:August 25, 2025, 16:10 IST
Marineland Antibes trainers sexually stimulate Keijo to prevent inbreeding with his mother, as orcas await relocation.
File photo of an orca at Marineland Antibes (Image: AP)
In a closed marine zoo in France, trainers of a male killer whale are sexually stimulating him once a month in order to prevent him from mating with his mother, according to a report in BBC.
The marine zoo, Marineland Antibes, was closed in January but a new home for the orcas is yet to be found.
The French government and animal rights groups haven’t agreed yet on where to move Wikie, 24, and Keijo, 11, leaving the two whales stuck in their current situation, the report mentioned. For the time being, the pair is being cared for by their trainers at the facility in southern France.
The park closed before a new French law starts in December, which will ban using whales in marine shows.
Last week, activist group TideBreakers got the overhead footage that showed two trainers standing at the edge of a pool next to the killer whale as he lay upside down.
While one trainer held on to a flipper, the other stimulated Keijo, who was seen writhing about in the water.
In the footage, the female orca was seen in an adjacent pool facing towards where her son was being held. Keeping them in separate pools permanently is considered harmful to their wellbeing as orcas are sociable animals.
The video was shot on August 12 and managers at Marineland told BBC News the action was required as Keijo is reaching adolescence and has increasingly strong sexual urges.
“In order to avoid inbreeding with his mother, but also to prevent them from fighting and injuring each other, Marineland decided to sexually stimulate Keijo [to relieve him of his] tensions,” the outlet quoted the managers as saying.
The managers added that “although spectacular”, sexually stimulation is “natural and totally painless for the animals.”
The French ecology ministry, responsible for approving where the orcas will be moved, said Marineland told them that Keijo is stimulated once a month and that a veterinary expert has been involved in the process.
While, Valerie Greene, a member of TideBreakers who worked at SeaWorld Orlando for a decade, said the stimulation of Keijo for sexual relief is unusual.
“As a former killer whale trainer, I’ve never seen this behaviour performed for anything other than attempting semen collection for use in artificial insemination,” the British outlet quoted her as saying.
Female orcas in marine zoos can be artificially inseminated to have more calves, which are then used to attract visitors and perform in shows.
This practice was common until about ten years ago when countries like France and the US passed laws banning many breeding methods.
However, Japan has fewer restrictions on breeding, and activists think marine zoo managers there might want to buy orca semen, especially since their only male orca, Earth, died on August 3.
‘Perverse New Low’
Just over a week after Japan’s only male orca’s death, Marineland’s trainers were seen stimulating Keijo.
“Keijo is inbred, so it’s even more concerning that his semen might be used for breeding of captive orcas,” Greene further said.
The report suggests that Keijo’s mother and father are half-siblings.
However, managers at Marineland deny this was why Keijo was stimulated. They further said the sale of semen is not allowed and that any export would need authorisation from the French government.
The French ecology ministry also said that the marine zoo have also told them there is no such intention of collecting and exporting Keijo’s semen for breeding purposes.
“Regardless of the reasoning, it’s sad that this is a priority when Keijo desperately needs to be rescued because his environment is unsafe,” Greene added.
“The notion that trainers are providing sexual relief to an orca… is a perverse new low in the captivity industry’s morally bankrupt practices.”
Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com’s general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manisha.Roy@nw18…Read More
Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com’s general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manisha.Roy@nw18… Read More
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