Marineland moves belugas to U.S. aquariums as park closes

Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario, has begun the second phase of its beluga relocation plan, shipping seven female belugas – Xena, Gemini, Skyla, Meeka, Eve, Neva and Calypso – to SeaWorld’s San Antonio facility. The move follows an earlier transfer of six belugas to Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium and SeaWorld San Antonio. The park, closed to the public since 2024 while seeking a buyer, said the health and safety of the whales remain a priority. With 30 belugas and four dolphins, Marineland housed Canada’s last captive whales and dolphins. The relocation, described by a park adviser as “unprecedented,” is part of a rescue effort involving a consortium of U.S. and Spanish aquariums that secured import permits. Over the coming weeks, the remaining whales and dolphins will be moved, ending captive cetacean operations in Canada.