A total of twenty-eight beluga whales are scheduled to be moved from a closed Canadian amusement park to various aquariums in the United States, following the approval of an emergency import by federal authorities earlier this month as part of a global rescue initiative.
Marineland, which ceased public operations in 2024, has continued to house the whales but has expressed a lack of resources to adequately care for them. Approximately one year after its closure, the park announced that without a viable relocation plan or additional funding, it would be forced to consider euthanizing the animals.
The belugas are set to be relocated from Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario, to recognized aquariums such as SeaWorld in San Antonio and San Diego, the Georgia Aquarium, and the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, as indicated in a joint announcement made earlier this month. Additionally, two whales are expected to be sent to Oceanografic Valencia, an aquarium located in Spain, pending the necessary permits from the Spanish authorities.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stated that the relocation was authorized in July to ensure the belugas receive the medical care and treatment that are unavailable to them in Canada, noting that “there are no other facilities in Canada capable of providing the whales with proper husbandry or medical attention.”
The entire rescue operation is anticipated to take several weeks to organize and execute, with a primary focus on the well-being and safety of the whales throughout the process, according to the involved aquariums.
Marineland has faced criticism regarding its treatment of the belugas, with reports indicating that twenty whales have died at the facility since 2019. In that same year, Canada enacted legislation aimed at ending the captivity of whales and dolphins.
In January, Canada’s Fisheries Minister, Joanne Thompson, gave conditional approval for the relocation of the whales to the United States.
Final authorization for export from the Canadian government will be granted once veterinarians have conducted health assessments on each whale, Thompson stated in a release dated July 8.
AFP contributed to this report.
