Marineland gets ‘conditional approval’ from Ottawa to send 30 belugas, 4 dolphins to US

The Canadian government on Monday gave Marineland “conditional approval” for the defunct amusement park in Niagara Falls, Ontario, to send 30 captive belugas and four dolphins to institutions in the United States.

Joan Thompson, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, confirmed in a statement that she met with Marineland on Monday. Regarding the park’s proposal to export animals to US facilities.

During a meeting last week, the Marineland team told Thompson it would euthanize 30 belugas and four dolphins unless Canada allows them to be shipped abroad.

Description of the latest meeting “productive,” Thompson said,I granted conditional approval for the export permit pending receipt of final information from Marineland.

According to Thompson, his “complete focus has been on the best interests of the whales, and that’s what guided this decision.”

A senior government source with knowledge of the matter said the conditional approval is only for specific US institutions.

“Marineland will need to confirm which animals are going to which facility and provide a full transportation plan,” the source said. CBC is not naming who because the person was not authorized to speak publicly about the announcement.

“Before any whale or dolphin can be transported, Marineland must confirm in writing that a Canadian accredited veterinarian has evaluated each animal, and confirmed that it is safe for transport,” the source said.

Marineland wants to send the whales and dolphins to the Georgia Aquarium, Mystic Aquarium, Shedd Aquarium and a SeaWorld location.

Marineland expressed ‘gratitude’

in a statement to cbc news On Monday, the amusement park said it had Thompson’s support for the relocation of its 30 belugas and four dolphins.

“We express our gratitude to the Minister and the Canadian The government is prioritizing the lives of these remarkable marine mammals,” it said.

Last week, spokespeople for Georgia Aquarium and Mystic Aquarium told CBC News that Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) recently invited a team of internationally recognized aquatic behavior and veterinary experts to Marineland to observe the 30 belugas currently living there.

According to the two U.S. facilities, the tour was an opportunity for experts from four CAZA-accredited facilities – Shedd Aquarium, Georgia Aquarium, Mystic Aquarium and SeaWorld – to become familiar with the physical health and social dynamics of belugas.

For its part, CAZA says it has not been directly involved in recent discussions regarding the possible transport of belugas from Marineland.

Marineland closed to the public in the late summer of 2024 as it tried to sell a portion of its land near Horseshoe Falls. The remains of its vast zoo, including belugas and dolphins, numerous seals and sea lions, bears and deer.

One killer whale and 19 belugas have died at Marineland since 2019, according to an ongoing count made by The Canadian Press, based on internal records and official statements.

Advocacy group calls the news ‘heartbreaking’

Advocacy group Animal Justice said the news of the conditional approval is “another disappointing turn of events” and that it is “absolutely heartbreaking” that the whales will never get to experience life in a sanctuary.

“Given Marineland’s dire threat to kill 30 belugas and four dolphins, the Minister had no choice but to offer these conditional approvals,” executive director Camille Labchuk said in a news release Monday.

“However, we fully expect the Minister to require individual health assessments for each whale and dolphin to determine whether they are healthy enough to be transferred. It is also necessary to ensure that the whales will not be farmed in the US – which is illegal in Canada. These animals should be the last generation to suffer in captivity.”