Credit: Marineland of CanadaOne of the world’s most controversial marine theme parks claims it may have to euthanize its whales if the government doesn’t grant permission for their sale.
Marineland, based in Niagara Falls, Ontario, says its 30 beluga whales could face death unless Canada’s minister of fisheries allows them to be exported abroad. The facility is reportedly in talks with Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, a major Chinese marine park.
Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson had previously denied the theme park’s request earlier this week, claiming that it was aligned with a 2019 law that made it illegal to use captive whales and dolphins for entertainment. The controversial marine park originally made the relocation request in September.
Marineland argues that Chimelong is the only facility with space for the belugas, noting that no sanctuary can accommodate them. In a letter to the government, the park said it is heavily in debt and running out of funds, requesting Thompson to help identify an alternative placement for the whales before it’s forced to euthanize.
“Our only options at this point are to either relocate the whales or face the devastating decision of euthanasia,” it wrote (via Global News).
Years of Deaths and Decline
Once marketed as a family destination, Marineland has faced years of public backlash and declining attendance. Following its final summer season in 2024, the park closed amusement operations and put its property on the market. Left behind are the whales, which have become the center of a heated international debate.
The urgency of the sale comes after decades of criticism. It’s thought that 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, according to Ontario’s Solicitor General’s Office. Inspectors have visited the facility more than 220 times since 2020. Marineland’s last orca, Kiska, died in 2023, ending the park’s killer whale program and sparking renewed outrage.
Infamously, Marineland banned a group of people – including a lawyer, a filmmaker, and a scientist – from the park in 2022. “The first thing that comes to mind is, ‘what are they hiding?”‘ Miranda Desa, a lawyer with the activist organization Last Chance for Animals, told CBC at the time. “I assisted Last Chance for Animals in filing a complaint against Marineland just last fall.”
A collection of animal welfare groups – including Toronto Zoo, World Animal Protection, Zoo Check Canada, the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and the U.K.-based Whale and Dolphin Conservation – has called on the government to formally seize 30 whales.
“The Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) Act gives Ontario the authority to act now to support the animals, provide immediate care, and recover costs,” the group said. “The Government of Ontario must exercise these powers urgently, followed by the formal seizure of the animals in question.”
Did you ever visit Marineland of Canada?