Canada endorses plan to move Marineland whales to US and Spain
9 reported
The Canadian government has endorsed a plan to move the last remaining captive whales from the shuttered Marineland park in Ontario to aquariums in the United States and Spain. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has issued the first batch of permits for the move, which could prevent mass euthanasia if completed. There are 30 belugas and four dolphins left at the Niagara Falls park, which closed to the public in late summer 2024 and was put up for sale in early 2023. Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson called the permit issuance a positive step forward but noted more work remains. The belugas and dolphins are set to go to five marine parks, including Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, SeaWorld locations in San Antonio and San Diego, and Oceanografic Valencia. Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut, which received five belugas from Marineland in 2021, will also assist with the relocation. The Canadian government has not decided whether it will provide taxpayer dollars to help fund the move.
What’s reported
The Canadian government endorsed a plan to move the last captive whales from Marineland to aquariums in the U.S. and Spain.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans issued the first batch of permits under CITES; different permits will be issued closer to the move.
There are 30 belugas and four dolphins remaining at the park.
Marineland closed to the public in late summer 2024 and was put up for sale in early 2023; no sale has been announced.
Twenty whales (19 belugas and one killer whale) have died at Marineland since 2019, per provincial government data.
The whales are set to go to Shedd Aquarium, Georgia Aquarium, SeaWorld San Antonio, SeaWorld San Diego, and Oceanografic Valencia.
Mystic Aquarium will also help with the move.
The Canadian government has not decided on taxpayer funding for the relocation.
Marineland’s founder John Holer died in 2018; his wife Marie Holer took over and put the park up for sale in 2023 before she died in 2024.
Key figures
Joanne Thompson, Fisheries Minister
John Holer, founder of Marineland (deceased)
Marie Holer, wife of founder (deceased)
Sources: abcnews.com
