SeaWorld San Antonio has recently welcomed seven additional beluga whales, marking a significant step in the international initiative to relocate numerous belugas from a closed Canadian amusement park. This latest group, which includes females named Xena, Gemini, Skyla, Meeka, Eve, Neva, and Calypso, represents the second batch transferred from Marineland and constitutes the largest beluga relocation in U.S. history.
Steve Aible, the vice president of zoological operations at SeaWorld San Antonio, expressed his satisfaction, stating, “We are thrilled that the transfer went smoothly, and the second phase of this extensive rescue operation is now complete.”
The newly arrived belugas are currently adjusting to their new environment in a private habitat that is not open to the public. During this acclimatization period, their health and behavior are being closely monitored by caretakers.
Aible was personally involved in the relocation process, accompanying the whales on their journey from Marineland. The transport required specialized water-filled containers, along with transportation via flatbed trucks and a cargo aircraft.
The seven belugas have joined Frankie and Bertie Botts, who previously completed the nearly 2,000-mile journey from Niagara Falls to San Antonio during the first phase of the relocation last month. Four other whales from that initial transfer have been relocated to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.
According to SeaWorld caretakers, the two male whales are adapting well and are gradually being introduced to the existing whale population at the park.
Marineland closed its doors to the public in 2024 but has retained custody of the belugas, citing a lack of resources to continue their care. Approximately one year after the closure, the park warned that it would be forced to euthanize the whales if a relocation plan or additional funding was not obtained.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration granted relocation approvals in July to facilitate the belugas’ medical treatment and care that cannot be provided elsewhere, stating that “no other facilities in Canada can offer the necessary husbandry or medical assistance for the whales.”
Currently, seventeen belugas remain at Marineland, with plans for their relocation to aquariums in Georgia, Chicago, San Diego, and even Spain, although officials have yet to disclose a specific timeline for these transfers.
