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 carefully moving six beluga whales one by one into a custom sling before transferring them to tanks. The whales, consisting of two males and four females, will then be transported in a police-escorted convoy 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.
The decision to move the whales stems from Marineland’s financial struggles and its inability to adequately care for the marine mammals. Last month, the park began the process of relocating its remaining 30 belugas and four dolphins, the last captive whales and dolphins in Canada. The first relocation on July 20 involved six belugas being sent to Shedd and SeaWorld in San Antonio, followed by another seven belugas going to the San Antonio facility weeks later.
This intricate operation, described by Marineland as “unprecedented,” is seen as the whales’ best chance for survival. Originally, Marineland had reached an agreement to sell all 30 belugas to a large aquarium in China, but the sale was blocked by the fisheries minister due to concerns for the animals’ welfare. In response, Marineland threatened to euthanize the whales if emergency funding from the federal government was not provided, garnering international attention.
Subsequently, a new deal was approved by Ottawa involving a consortium of American and Spanish aquariums, facilitating the ongoing relocation process. Other facilities such as SeaWorld in San Diego and Oceanografic Valencia in Spain are also anticipated to receive some of Marineland’s whales or dolphins.
In the event the whales cannot be relocated, Marineland has indicated they will be euthanized. Following the recent relocation, 11 belugas and four dolphins will remain at the park, with Marineland aiming to have all the whales relocated by the end of the month.