Marineland's beluga whales are set to be relocated to the United States and Spain after the federal government endorsed a plan to distribute the animals among five marine facilities. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans backed the proposal last week to split the 30 remaining whales at the closed Niagara Falls, Ontario, attraction, as reported by CBC News.
Destinations for the Belugas
The relocation plan involves moving the belugas to Oceanografic Valencia in Spain, Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, and two SeaWorld locations in San Diego, California, and San Antonio, Texas. Each facility will receive a portion of the whales, pending successful health assessments and the acquisition of necessary import permits from U.S. and Spanish authorities.
Johnny Ford, a vice president at Shedd Aquarium, stated in an email to CBC News that there is no definite timeline for the rescue. The official move will occur once the Department of Fisheries and Oceans issues export permits.
Regulatory and Health Requirements
The export permits will be granted closer to the transport date, following final animal health checks, according to Erik Nosaluk, a spokesperson for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The department is collaborating with the Canada Border Services Agency and Health Canada to ensure all requirements are met for a safe and timely transfer.
The belugas have been in a state of limbo since Marineland's closure in 2024. The park's staff has continued to care for the whales and other remaining animals. After the death of Marineland's founder, John Holer, in 2018, his wife Marie Holer took over operations and sought to sell the park. She passed away in 2024, leaving the Holer family estate to manage the shuttered site. To sell the property, the estate must relocate the animals.
Earlier attempts to move the belugas to China's Chimelong Ocean Kingdom fell through last year, leading Marineland to threaten euthanasia due to the financial burden of maintaining the whales. The new plan offers a resolution for the animals, which have been living in uncertainty.
