Whales at the theme park that has since closed may finally be moved on, with placements being arranged in the US and Spain – though they need to clear checks
The whales have been kept at the now-closed Marineland in Niagara Falls(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Plans are now moving forward to get a group of beluga whales out of a defunct theme park. The belugas have been kept at the former Marineland site in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, since 2024, and the animals faced being euthanised if permission to move them was not granted.
The plans on the table would see the group — 30 whales — relocated to new facilities in Spain and the United States. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration authorised the move last week, but it can only proceed if the animals are cleared by vets.
Staff linked to the US aquariums are expected to travel to the site soon to assess the belugas and begin planning the logistics.
A spokesperson for the American aquarium consortium said of the whales: “This rescue effort will take several weeks to mobilize and complete, and the comfort and safety of the whales remains of the utmost importance.”
Thirty beluga whales stranded at a shuttered theme park have been offered a new lease of life(Image: AP)
Belugas are a protected species and, compared with other whales, are relatively small — typically measuring between 13 and 20 feet. They are most commonly linked to the Arctic Ocean and are viewed as sociable and curious animals; they are sometimes called “canaries of the sea”.
Meanwhile, National Geographic says belugas tend to dwell together in pods and describes them as “very vocal communicators”, known for their “clicks, whistles and clangs” – and for being able to imitate other sounds.
The park’s closure came after financial issues. Data obtained by The Canadian Press indicates that 20 whales kept at the site have passed away since 2019.
A beluga whale surfaces from a tank to be fed by an employee at Marineland(Image: AP)
If the relocation goes ahead, the animals will be distributed across five destinations. Spain’s Oceanogràfic València is expected to receive two.
The others will be taken in by SeaWorld in San Diego, SeaWorld in San Antonio, the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta and the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago — venues said to offer “high-quality environments”.
In a statement, the group said: “Once the belugas are cleared for travel by Canadian veterinarians, aquarium experts will accompany the animals to their new homes, where they will be met with diverse seafood to meet their nutritional needs, high-quality environments with guaranteed water quality and onsite medical care should they require it at any time”.
Graffiti on a sidewalk in front of now-closed Marineland attraction park reads: “Let the belugas live”(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
In a separate case involving a stranded whale, a humpback nicknamed “Timmy” was rescued in Germany after spending roughly five weeks stuck off the country’s coast. The animal became trapped on Timmendorfer Beach in Lübeck Bay in March, before a barge was brought in.
Rescuers lured the whale onto a water-filled barge and then transported it towards the North Sea via Denmark. Till Backhaus, environment minister for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, called the operation an “example for Germany of what can be done”.
