Marineland Initiates Transfer of Whales to U.S. Aquariums
Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario, is in the process of relocating a group of beluga whales to aquariums outside of Canada. The specialized team at the closed tourist attraction is carefully moving six belugas, including two males and four females, into custom slings before transporting them to tanks.
Following this, the whales will be escorted by police in a convoy to Toronto’s Pearson airport, where they will board a plane bound for Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.
The decision to move the whales comes as Marineland faces financial difficulties and is unable to provide proper care for the marine mammals. The park, which ceased operations to the public in 2024, had previously housed 30 belugas and four dolphins, the last of their kind in captivity in Canada.
With the first groups of belugas already relocated to Shedd and SeaWorld in San Antonio, Marineland is now undertaking a complex operation to ensure the well-being of the remaining whales. The park had initially planned to sell the belugas to a Chinese aquarium but faced opposition from the government, leading to the current relocation efforts to U.S. facilities.
In addition to Shedd and Georgia Aquariums, other institutions such as SeaWorld in San Diego and Oceanografic Valencia in Spain are expected to receive some of Marineland’s marine animals as part of the ongoing transfer process.
The ultimate goal is to relocate all the remaining belugas and dolphins by the end of the month to prevent the possibility of euthanasia for the animals.
