Canada endorses embattled marine park’s plan to relocate 30 beluga whales
Summary
Canada and Marineland have agreed to move 30 beluga whales from captivity to aquariums in Spain and the United States. This plan ends the keeping of belugas in Canada but still requires health checks and final permits before transport.Key Facts
- Canada’s federal fisheries ministry approved moving all Marineland beluga whales to locations outside Canada.
- The whales will be relocated to Oceanogràfic València in Spain and several aquariums in Georgia, Chicago, San Diego, and San Antonio in the U.S.
- Marineland closed to visitors in 2024 amid ongoing disputes about whale captivity.
- At one point, Marineland threatened to euthanize the whales after a blocked sale to China.
- Animal rights groups say the move to aquariums is the “least worst option” but prefer sanctuaries.
- A Nova Scotia sanctuary had hoped to take the whales but was not chosen.
- Canadian vets will check each whale’s health before transport to ensure they are fit to travel.
- Animal advocates express concern about the whales’ health and seek independent evaluations to avoid risks seen in past whale transfers.
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