The fate of 30 captive beluga whales and four dolphins hangs in the balance as Marineland in Niagara Falls awaits final approval for an export permit from the Canadian government. Marineland has threatened to euthanize the whales, as they can no longer afford to feed and house them since shuttering the park.
Marineland closed to the public in 2024 after years of declining ticket sales. An initial attempt to sell the whales to an amusement park in China was blocked by Canada’s Fisheries Minister, Joanne Thompson, in order to protect the whales from performing in captivity.
A more humane solution for many is The Whale Sanctuary Project, a 100-acre enclosed parcel of coastal waters in Nova Scotia. The sanctuary is not yet complete, however, and Marineland is pressing the federal government to allow them to export their whales to amusement parks in the United States.
