Animal rights advocates are condemning Marineland’s threat to euthanize the 30 surviving belugas at the defunct amusement park in Niagara Falls, Ont., if the federal government doesn’t come through with funding for the whales’ care or authorize their export by Tuesday.
World Animal Protection Canada is calling on the provincial government to intervene and seize the whales to prevent their death.
Erin Ryan, wildlife campaign manager with the organization, said “it’s morally reprehensible” for Marineland to be holding the Canadian government hostage “for making what is essentially the right decision.”
Euthanasia shouldn’t be seen as a cost-saving measure, Ryan told CBC News.
“It should only be seen as an option when independent veterinary assessment deems that it’s in the best interest of the animals.”
In a letter Marineland sent Friday to federal Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson and obtained by CBC News, the company said it is in “a critical financial state,” is “fully indebted” and does not have the resources to “provide adequate care for the whales.”
Marineland’s request to export belugas to China denied by feds
The letter came days after Thompson denied Marineland’s request for export permits. It was aiming to send the belugas to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, a theme park in China.
“The gravity of the funding crisis at Marineland cannot be overstated; any further delay jeopardizes the welfare and security of the whales, and we fear we are running out of time to act,” the company’s letter said.
Marineland said a decision to euthanize the whales, which were born in captivity, will be “a direct consequence of the minister’s decision” to withhold export permits.
CBC News reached out to the premier’s office for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.
On Monday, however, Thompson, speaking to reporters at Queen’s Park in Toronto, said that for Marineland to immediately respond to not being granted export permits with a request for federal funding is “inappropriate.”
Thompson reiterated that Ottawa’s decision last week to deny the export request was based on the 2019 strengthening of both the Fisheries Act and Criminal Code, which is intended to not allow for further exploitation of the animals.
Thompson said Marineland is responsible for the care of the belugas and the province plays a role in ensuring the animals are well maintained. The minister also said she’ll be speaking with Marineland later Monday.
Nineteen belugas have died at Marineland since 2019. The last orca, Kiska, died in 2023.
This year marked the first time in Marineland’s 60-year history, outside of COVID-19 closures, that it didn’t open, raising concerns about the future of the belugas and other animals remaining at the park.
Ryan said her animal advocacy organization has been calling for years for Marineland, and the Ontario and federal governments to bring together experts and stakeholders to talk about the best plan for the animals.
Ryan is calling on Ottawa and Ontario to work with the Nova Scotia government as part of efforts to help build a whale sanctuary on Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore. Plans for the project, however, appear to have stalled, although the website for the Whale Sanctuary Project is being updated with news of the Marineland belugas.
Another option, said Ryan, would be for Ontario to seize the belugas now under the PAWS Act and care for the animals.
“But it’s important to note that wouldn’t keep Marineland financially off the hook. We must hold them financially accountable for the care of those animals under all legal possible options.”
Angela Fernandez, a professor in the University of Toronto’s faculty of law, said she finds Marineland’s ultimatum and threat of possibly having the animals euthanized to be “quite shocking.”
“That is a very, very false dichotomy and it’s quite shocking, really, that they’re going there,” Fernandez told CBC News.
Fernandez also said Premier Doug Ford needs to intervene and seize the animals in the park, “Even if it’s just seizing them in place for the moment until a good plan can be worked out as to what to do with them.
“That would involve zoos and aquariums close by who could maybe take them, sanctuary options that might be available — all of the options need to be looked at but we need time to do that, especially because there’s so many parties involved.
“So, having a, ‘You got to do it by Tuesday otherwise, we’re going to kill the animals,’ I mean this is kind of nuts,” added Fernandez.
Fernandez believes Marlineland’s threat to euthanize the animals could be grounds for the authorities “to go and seize them because they need to be protected.”
Andrew Trites, a professor in the Marine Mammal Research Unit at the University of British Columbia, said Ottawa denying Marineland’s request for export permits was like “a death sentence for those animals.”
“I think the federal government has given Marineland no options. If the animals can’t leave the country, now what? They obviously can’t keep feeding them and caring for them — their money has or is running out.
“They have asked, I think, very reasonably to see them moved to another facility that can provide the care that they deserve and require. The government has said no, and now we’re all left with now what? What are the options that they’ve been given? And so far, they’ve given no options.
“So, I really feel for the belugas. I really wonder if we’re thinking of them and giving them the best chance and what is in their best interest,” Trites added.
Trites said while he agrees with Thompson that the animals should no longer be used for entertainment, given the threats Canada’s belugas currently face, permission could have been given for them to be exported for research purposes.
“I think that we want to ensure that there’s something coming back to Canada too. We can build linkages and those animals can help,” he said.
“Further, the understanding and conservation of the wild animals living in the St. Lawrence, living in the Canadian Arctic, animals which the Indigenous people depend upon, we have a huge opportunity here so that everyone comes out ahead instead of just seeing this as a funeral.”
