30 beluga whales rescued from Canada's Marineland to U.S. aquariums and Valencia

U.S. authorities have approved an emergency rescue operation under the Marine Mammal Protection Act to relocate 30 beluga whales held at the shuttered Marineland park near Niagara Falls, Canada. The park closed in 2024 after financial difficulties left it unable to provide long‑term care for the cetaceans.

A coalition of AZA‑accredited institutions, including SeaWorld San Antonio, SeaWorld San Diego, Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta and Mystic Aquarium, will receive 28 of the whales. Two additional belugas are slated for transfer to the Oceanogràfic in Valencia, Spain, once they clear veterinary health assessments and obtain the necessary permits. The plan seeks to prevent the threatened euthanasia of the animals and to place them in facilities with advanced veterinary, nutritional and habitat expertise.

SeaWorld announced its participation as part of a coordinated international effort, describing the situation as an “urgent animal‑welfare situation.” The rescue has drawn both praise for averting a potential mass loss and criticism from animal‑rights groups who view aquarium relocation as only a temporary solution.