U.S. authorities have approved an “emergency rescue” plan that would move the remaining captive whales and dolphins from Canada’s Marineland to the United States, a consortium of marine parks says. The animals are described as the last such captive cetaceans in Canada. The shuttered Niagara Falls, Ontario attraction is up for sale, and the park has said it is running out of money to care for its animals.
According to the consortium, the approved plan involves importing Marineland’s remaining belugas and other dolphins as a short-notice intervention intended to address the animals’ care and housing situation. The sources reference an emergency approval by the U.S. government, signaling that the consortium has been authorized to proceed with the transfers under emergency circumstances rather than a standard timeline.
The reports do not provide detailed information on where the animals would be sent, how many facilities would be involved, or the specific steps and timelines for transport. They also do not outline any conditions attached to the U.S. approval beyond characterizing it as an emergency rescue.
