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5h ago

Ontario Confirms Marineland’s 30 Belugas Alive as Euthanasia Ultimatum Passes

The whales’ future remains unresolved following Ottawa’s refusal to permit a mass transfer to China under Canada’s anti-captivity law.

Beluga whales swim in a tank at Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ont., Friday, June 9, 2023. Another beluga whale has died Marineland, bringing the number of dead whales at the Niagara Falls, Ont., tourist attraction to 15 over the past four years.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
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Two beluga whales seen swimming at Marineland in July 2024, before the park's closure to the public.
A drone shot of Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ont., in recent months shows some of the 30 surviving beluga whales. The mayor says he's heard from people around the world offering help as the defunct amusement park says it's running out of money to care for the whales.

Overview

  • Ontario’s solicitor general’s office said all 30 belugas remain under Marineland care days after the park’s stated euthanasia deadline.
  • Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson denied export permits to China’s Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, citing the 2019 federal law restricting captive cetaceans for entertainment.
  • Thompson said she will review any new, welfare-focused permit applications quickly as Ottawa handles exports and Ontario oversees animal welfare.
  • Relocation options are scarce, with a proposed Nova Scotia seaside sanctuary stalled, the Iceland sanctuary limited in capacity, and Vancouver Aquarium saying it cannot accommodate the whales.
  • Marineland says it is in a critical financial state and closed to the public since 2024, with care estimated at about $2 million a month and roughly 20 whale deaths reported since 2019, prompting calls for government intervention.