U.S. Approves Emergency Rescue of Marineland's Whales and Dolphins
The U.S. government has formally approved an emergency rescue operation to relocate Canada's last captive beluga whales and dolphins from the shuttered Marineland in Niagara Falls to aquariums across the United States and Spain.
The U.S. government has formally approved an emergency rescue of most of the beluga whales from Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ont., to aquariums in the United States. The shuttered Niagara Falls, Ont., tourist attraction is up for sale and the park has said it is running out of money to care for its complement of 30 belugas and four dolphins.
Timeline & Approval
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration authorized the emergency rescue on July 1 after entering into an agreement with SeaWorld, Georgia Aquarium and the Shedd Aquarium. "The emergency import of these beluga whales to U.S. facilities is necessary to ensure the whales receive medical treatment and care that is not otherwise available," the agency stated, noting that "Marineland of Canada closed to the public in 2024, and there are no other facilities in Canada that are able to provide the whales husbandry or medical care."
Relocation Details
The U.S. government agency has authorized a move of up to 28 belugas. It's believed two other belugas and four dolphins will head to Spain. The whales are set to go to five marine parks: Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, SeaWorld locations in San Antonio and San Diego and Oceanografic Valencia.
Care teams will arrive in the coming weeks to assess the whales and prepare them for travel, and no whale will move until cleared by Canadian veterinarians. Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans issued the first batch of permits to export the whales and dolphins in early June and will have to sign off on final permits once they check the health of the animals.
Last January, Marineland threatened to euthanize the 30 belugas and four dolphins unless Canada granted permission to ship them to the United States. That came after the DFO last fall denied Marineland's request to export its belugas to a theme park in China.
For expat residents and families: If you've visited Marineland or follow Canadian wildlife and conservation news, this story represents a significant shift in how Canada handles endangered marine animals in captivity, aligning with federal protections for whales and dolphins passed in 2019.
Sources
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