Beluga whales die following transfer from Marineland

Six of the 30 beluga whales transferred from the closed Marineland theme park in Niagara Falls, Ontario, have died in recent weeks. The deaths have occurred across multiple international facilities, including the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, where four whales died, and Oceanogràfic València in Spain.

At the Shedd Aquarium, preliminary necropsy results for some whales indicated chronic, pre-existing intestinal and liver disease. SeaWorld San Diego reported the death of a nine-year-old male named Cyprus, noting that an ultrasound showed his intestinal tract was not functioning normally; a full necropsy is planned.

Veterinary experts noted that while the whales were already chronically stressed by conditions at Marineland, the relocation process added acute stress that may have been fatal. The transfers followed the closure of Marineland after the Canadian government denied export permits to send the animals to a theme park in China, citing concerns over continued captivity for entertainment.