Marineland has initiated the relocation of a third group of whales to aquariums located outside of Canada. A specialized team at the closed tourist spot in Niagara Falls, Ont., is overseeing the transfer of six beluga whales into a customized sling individually before lifting them into tanks. Subsequently, a convoy escorted by police will transport the whales – comprising two males and four females – to Toronto’s Pearson airport. From there, they will be loaded onto a plane bound for Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.
Having closed its doors to the public in 2024, Marineland is currently up for sale due to financial constraints preventing the proper care of the marine mammals. Prior to this latest relocation, the park housed a total of 30 belugas and four dolphins, marking the final captive whales and dolphins in Canada. The initial transfer on July 20 involved six belugas moving to Shedd and SeaWorld in San Antonio. Subsequently, another seven belugas were relocated to the San Antonio facility in the following weeks.
This intricate operation, labeled as “unprecedented” by Marineland, is crucial for the survival of the whales. Marineland had initially planned to sell all 30 belugas to a large aquarium in China, but the sale was blocked by the fisheries minister, deeming it unfavorable for the animals. In response, Marineland threatened to euthanize all the whales if emergency funding from the federal government was not secured, garnering global attention. Eventually, Ottawa approved an alternative deal with a consortium of American and Spanish aquariums, facilitating the ongoing series of relocations.
Apart from Shedd and Georgia Aquariums, SeaWorld in San Diego and Oceanografic Valencia in Spain are also anticipated to receive some of Marineland’s whales or dolphins. In the event that the current transfers do not proceed, euthanasia of the whales will be considered. Following the recent relocation, 11 belugas and four dolphins are expected to remain at Marineland. The park aims to complete the removal of all whales by the end of the month.