January 26th, 2026 - Canada Approves Transfer of Beluga Whales to U.S. Facilities
- ihsiftikar
- Jan 26
- 2 min read
Marineland, a once-popular aquatic park in Niagara Falls, Canada, is now on the brink of bankruptcy and has been granted conditional approval to transfer its beluga whales to marine facilities in the United States. This decision follows Marineland’s earlier threat to euthanize the whales after the Canadian government rejected its request to send the animals to a theme park in China. While the move would keep the whales in captivity, Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson emphasized that the decision was made with the animals' best interests in mind, though she is awaiting further details before finalizing the permits.
The decision to approve the export of the whales comes after Marineland threatened to euthanize them, prompting animal rights groups to express concern over the future of the animals. Canada’s 2019 law banning the breeding of captive whales and dolphins for entertainment purposes limits the options for such animals, as they lack survival skills like hunting and social interaction that their wild counterparts possess. Marineland, which has been closed since 2024, is also planning to send its remaining dolphins to U.S. facilities.
Despite the approval, animal rights advocates like Camille Labchuk from Animal Justice have emphasized that the whales must not be bred in captivity again and should be the last generation to endure such conditions. Marineland, which has been under scrutiny for animal abuse claims, is in the process of selling off its rides and evaluating offers for its land, marking the end of an era for the 1,000-acre park, which once included animal enclosures for bears and other species.
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