Marineland Seeks Aid to Avoid Beluga Euthanasia

Marineland near Niagara Falls has asked the Canadian federal government for emergency funding to feed and care for the 30 beluga whales in its custody, warning it will be forced to euthanize them if Ottawa does not provide money or allow their export by Oct. 7. The plea follows Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson’s refusal to approve an export permit to send the whales to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in China, a decision she said aligned with a 2019 law banning cetaceans in entertainment and driven by concerns about captivity. Marineland says it is fully indebted, closed to the public, searching for a buyer, and that no suitable sanctuary or other marine park with capacity exists to receive the belugas. The company and its lawyers say euthanasia would be a direct consequence of the minister’s decision, while officials and animal advocates argue the whales belong in the ocean and that returning them to public entertainment would be inappropriate. Reporting and documents note a troubling mortality record at the park — 20 whales (19 belugas and one orca) have died since 2019 — and government officials have not announced a new solution, leaving the animals’ future uncertain as the deadline approaches.