Marineland completes final transfer of Canada's last captive whales

The final captive whales in Canada have been relocated from the shuttered Marineland park in Niagara Falls, Ontario. On Monday, the last six beluga whales were moved to aquariums in the United States, marking the end of whale and dolphin captivity in the country following a 2019 federal law.

This final transfer concludes what is described as the largest collective relocation of captive whales in history. Over several weeks and six separate moves, Marineland has shipped 30 belugas and four dolphins to five different facilities, including the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, SeaWorld locations in San Antonio and San Diego, the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, and Oceanografic Valencia in Spain.

The relocation follows the closure of the tourist attraction, which is currently up for sale. Marineland officials stated the park faced extreme financial difficulties and could no longer afford to care for the animals, noting that the whales would have faced euthanasia if permanent homes had not been secured. The move follows a period of scrutiny regarding the park's conditions and a federal ban on breeding and performances for captive cetaceans.