Canada’s federal fisheries ministry endorses a proposal to move the remaining captive whales from Marineland, a shuttered marine park in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The plan covers 30 beluga whales, with four dolphins also described as remaining at the facility. Under the proposal, the animals would be transferred to aquariums outside Canada, with destinations including Spain and several locations in the United States. The endorsement is presented as the next step in the process, but it is not described as final, and the transfers would depend on the deal proceeding.
Multiple outlets frame the move as an alternative to a prior threat by Marineland to euthanize the animals in 2025, which has drawn criticism from animal rights groups. The reporting describes the government’s role as approving or backing the rescue and relocation effort led by proposals to place the whales in new facilities in the U.S. and Spain. The coverage also notes that the arrangement would end whale captivity in Canada at the Marineland site, assuming the transfers are carried out as planned.
