Marineland of Canada, for almost 60 years a marquee attraction in Niagara Falls for its performing captive whale and dolphin shows, is now at the centre of an animal-welfare crisis.
In October the facility threatened that without emergency federal funding it might be forced to euthanise all 30 of its beluga whales – the world’s largest captive beluga population and the last captive cetaceans in Canada.
The announcement ignited outrage and intensified scrutiny of Canada’s marine-mammal protection laws.
The amusements side of the theme park is up for sale and the facility has been closed to the public since September 2024, blaming its financial collapse on deteriorating infrastructure and declining revenue.
Canada officially banned cetacean captivity for entertainment in 2019, one of the first countries to do so – but decided not to mandate the release or relocation of animals already in captivity.
Existing captive cetaceans were “grandfathered in”, allowing Marineland to retain animals it already owned, though not to breed from them. Four dolphins and some seals and sea-lions remain at the park along with the belugas.
China export plan
A recent request for federal permission to export Marineland’s beluga whales to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in China was turned down by Canada’s fisheries minister, citing the 2019 legislation.
Marineland responded by warning that mass euthanasia would be a “direct consequence” of the government’s decision. Campaigning body Animal Justice filed a complaint and called for a criminal investigation, arguing that such threats might violate federal animal-cruelty laws.
Ontario has distanced itself from the crisis, stating that the whales fall under federal jurisdiction. The province’s solicitor-general has urged the government to reconsider the export ban or expedite transfer of the belugas to an alternative Canadian facility.
Nova Scotia sanctuary
In one promising development, the Whale Sanctuary Project recently confirmed that a 20-year lease for a coastal site on Nova Scotia’s east coast has been approved by the provincial government.
The 83-hectare Port Hilford Bay site would be North America’s first coastal sanctuary for retired captive whales.
Meanwhile, despite the pressure from campaigners and scientists the federal government has yet to announce a rescue plan or emergency funding package for Marineland.
The park is reported to have secured short-term loans to allow it to continue caring for the animals temporarily, though campaigners continue to express concerns about water quality and enclosure conditions at what they describe as a “semi-abandoned” site.
South of the border the closure of the controversial Miami Seaquarium in Florida, which also brought into question the fate of its former cetacean performers, was reported on Divernet in October.
