Canada Approves Relocation of Whales From Marineland to US, Spain
WHO:
ABC News World - The Canadian government is involved in the decision to relocate the whales.
WHAT:
ABC News - Marineland announced in early 2023 that it was for sale and closed to the public in late summer 2024. No sale has yet been announced.
ABC News - The Canadian government has not decided whether it will provide taxpayer dollars to help move the whales.
ABC News - The move is expected to take place in the next few months.
ABC News - There are 30 belugas and four dolphins left in Marineland park and zoo in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
ABC News - In 2024, Marineland was found guilty under Ontario’s animal cruelty laws in a case related to its care of three black bears.
ABC News - Twenty whales — 19 belugas and one killer whale — have died at Marineland since 2019.
ABC News - The belugas and dolphins are set to head to five marine parks: Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, SeaWorld locations in San Antonio and San Diego, and Oceanografic Valencia.
ABC News - Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut will also help with the move, having previously received five belugas from Marineland in 2021.
ABC News World - The plan endorsed by the Canadian government involves moving the last remaining captive whales from Marineland.
ABC News Business - The whales will be relocated to aquariums in the U.S. and Spain.
WHERE:
ABC News World - The whales are currently located at Marineland, a theme park and zoo in Ontario, Canada.
ABC News Business - The destination aquariums for the whales are in the U.S. and Spain.
HOW:
ABC News - The ministry is coordinating with the Canada Border Services Agency, Health Canada, and other ministries to ensure all requirements are met for a safe and timely transfer.
ABC News - The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has issued the first batch of permits to move the whales under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES permits).
(UPDATED June 4, 2026 10:17 UTC)
Marineland has announced that it will be closing to the public in late summer 2024 and is currently for sale, although no sale has been finalized yet. The Canadian government is still deciding whether to allocate taxpayer dollars to assist in the relocation of the whales, which is expected to happen in the next few months. To facilitate this move, the ministry is working closely with the Canada Border Services Agency, Health Canada, and other departments to ensure all necessary requirements are met for a safe and timely transfer.
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(UPDATED June 4, 2026 08:21 UTC)
Marineland park and zoo in Niagara Falls, Ontario, currently houses just 30 belugas and four dolphins, following the deaths of twenty whales, including nineteen belugas and one killer whale, since 2019. In a significant development, the belugas and dolphins are scheduled to be relocated to five marine parks, including Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and SeaWorld locations in San Antonio and San Diego, with Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut also assisting in the move. This relocation comes after Marineland was found guilty in 2024 under Ontario’s animal cruelty laws concerning the care of three black bears, and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has issued the first batch of permits necessary for the transfer under CITES regulations.
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(UPDATED June 4, 2026 01:52 UTC)
The Canadian government has approved a plan to relocate the last remaining captive whales from Marineland, a theme park and zoo in Ontario. These whales will be moved to aquariums located in the U.S. and Spain. This decision marks a significant step in the ongoing efforts to address the welfare of these marine animals.