Marineland, a marine mammal park and amusement park also located in Niagara Falls, Ontario, just revealed their own plan. It wants to ship its last remaining captive whales and dolphins to other institutions across the United States. This announcement comes as Marineland prepares to begin euthanizing its belugas. They’re prepared to put up a fight if the federal government doesn’t respond in a timely manner to their proposal.
Yet in late summer 2024, Marineland stopped allowing the public to visit. It was a huge departure for the institution that had kept marine mammals for many decades. The aquarium had kept its bad reputation under wraps for too long. Today, Marineland does not have 30 healthy belugas. Yet this facility has been an abject failure, losing 20 whales—including one killer whale and 19 belugas—since 2019.
Under its new plan, Marineland intends to send the whales and dolphins to four different institutions in the United States: SeaWorld, Georgia Aquarium, Shedd Aquarium, and Mystic Aquarium. Perhaps the most important part of the proposal is the provision for maintaining family groups when dividing the animals. Despite public outcry, Marineland is pushing to transfer all of its belugas to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, an aquarium in China. This ambitious and visionary plan has still not materialized.
Veterinary specialists from four marine mammal institutions toured Marineland last week, examining the health of the belugas and dolphins. Most alarming of all, two of the male belugas have been subjected to medical care on and off for months. Marineland has stated that it is readying an euthanasia plan for the animals if that plan becomes necessary.
Marineland has certainly been motivated, as evidenced by the four-day ultimatum it’s afforded the government to respond to its offer. If the government doesn’t do so, Marineland threatens to begin euthanizing its belugas. The facility confirmed that it presented “a definitive and urgent rescue solution for the whales” directly to Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson.
“This mission now hinges entirely on the minister’s immediate authorization.” – Marineland
Thompson’s office confirmed that at such a meeting, new export permits were introduced. The purpose of this letter was for the Minister to express her unequivocal support in seeking a resolution. She learned about the immediate and ongoing effort to make sure these animals are redirected safely to their new homes.
“During the briefing, the minister expressed her clear support for a solution and is fully apprised of the critical, narrow window available to ensure the safe transfer of these animals to their new homes.” – Marineland
Marineland must immediately commit to exploring non-lethal alternatives for rescuing these sentient animals. The organization is opposed to euthanasia and strongly feels that conversations about euthanasia should not happen. That is, theoretically, until the health of the belugas no longer makes a rescue and transport feasible.
“We are committed to exploring alternatives to rescue these animals and that the discussion of euthanasia is unnecessary and unjustified, as long as the health of the belugas allows for rescue and transport.” – Marineland
As this story continues, even as it is encouraging to see Marineland taking these measures, Marineland’s actions will be watched intently by animal rights campaigners and marine mammal professionals. The work, largely driven by Blackfish’s influence, raised troubling ethical questions for all kinds of earned media that touched on captivity and welfare within marine parks.
