Marineland gets ‘conditional approval’ from Ottawa to ship 30 belugas, 4 dolphins to U.S.

The Canadian government on Monday granted “conditional approval” to Marineland for the defunct amusement park in Niagara Falls, Ont., to ship 30 captive belugas and four dolphins to institutions in the United States.

Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Joanne Thompson confirmed in a statement that she met with Marineland on Monday regarding the park’s proposal to export the animals to U.S. facilities. 

During a meeting last week, the Marineland team told Thompson it would euthanize the 30 belugas and four dolphins unless Canada grants permission to ship them abroad.

Describing the latest meeting as “productive,” Thompson said, “I provided conditional approval for export permits, pending receipt of final information from Marineland.”

According to Thompson, her “focus throughout has been the best interest of the whales, and that is what has guided this decision.”

A senior government source with knowledge of the matter said the conditional approval is only for specific U.S. institutions.

“Marineland will need to confirm exactly which animals are going to which facilities and provide a full transport plan,” said the source, who CBC is not naming because the person was not authorized to speak publicly about the announcement. 

“Before any whale or dolphin can be moved, Marineland has to confirm in writing that a Canadian accredited veterinarian has assessed each animal, and confirmed it is safe to transport,” the source added.

Marineland wants to send the whales and dolphins to Georgia Aquarium, Mystic Aquarium, Shedd Aquarium and a SeaWorld location.

In a statement to CBC News on Monday, the amusement park said it has Thompson’s support for the relocation of its 30 belugas and four dolphins.

“We extend our gratitude to the minister and the Canadian government for prioritizing the lives of these remarkable marine mammals,” it said.

Last week, spokespeople for Georgia Aquarium and Mystic Aquarium told CBC News that Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) invited a team of internationally recognized aquatic behavioural and veterinary experts to Marineland recently to observe 30 belugas currently living there.

The visit was an opportunity for experts from four CAZA-accredited facilities — Shedd Aquarium, Georgia Aquarium, Mystic Aquarium and SeaWorld — to familiarize themselves with the belugas’ physical health and social dynamics, according to the two U.S. facilities. 

For its part, CAZA says it has not been directly involved in recent discussions regarding potential transport of belugas from Marineland.

Marineland closed to the public in the late summer of 2024 as it tried to sell the swath of land it sits on near Horseshoe Falls. Its vast menagerie remains, including the belugas and dolphins, several seals and sea lions, bears and deer.

One killer whale and 19 belugas have died at Marineland since 2019, according to an ongoing tally created by The Canadian Press, based on internal records and official statements.

Advocacy group Animal Justice said news of the conditional approval is “another disappointing turn” of events and it’s “absolutely heartbreaking” that the whales may never get to experience life in a sanctuary.

“Given Marineland’s appalling threat to execute the 30 belugas and four dolphins, the minister had little choice but to offer these conditional approvals,” executive director Camille Labchuk said in a news release Monday.

“However, we fully expect that the minister will require individual health assessments for each whale and dolphin to determine whether they are healthy enough to be moved. It is also essential to ensure the whales will not be bred in the U.S. — which is illegal in Canada. These animals must be the last generation to suffer in captivity.”