The United States has approved an emergency rescue operation to relocate the remaining whales and dolphins from Marineland in Niagara Falls, clearing one of the final regulatory hurdles in a months-long effort to remove the animals from the shuttered attraction. The approval, issued by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), authorizes the import of up to 28 beluga whales into the United States, where they will be distributed among several accredited aquariums. Two additional belugas and four dolphins are expected to be relocated to an aquarium in Spain, pending approval from Spanish authorities.
The decision follows Ottawa’s conditional approval of the relocation plan last month after Marineland warned it no longer had the financial resources to provide long-term care for the animals. The park, which closed to the public in 2024 and remains up for sale, currently houses 30 beluga whales and four dolphins. These animals are the last captive cetaceans remaining in Canada. Federal officials said final export permits will only be issued after veterinarians confirm the animals are healthy enough to travel and all transportation requirements have been met.
The emergency import of these beluga whales to U.S. facilities is necessary to ensure the whales receive medical treatment and care that is not otherwise available.
-Rachel Hager, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Where will the whales go?
Under the current relocation plan, the whales will be divided among four American facilities: Shedd Aquarium, Georgia Aquarium, SeaWorld San Antonio and SeaWorld San Diego. Another group of belugas and all four dolphins are expected to move to Oceanogràfic Valencia once Spanish authorities approve the transfer. According to documents released by U.S. officials, 13 belugas will travel to SeaWorld San Antonio, 10 to Shedd Aquarium, three to SeaWorld San Diego and two to Georgia Aquarium.
The relocation will be one of the largest marine mammal transfers ever attempted. Marineland has long held the world’s largest captive population of beluga whales, making the logistics of transporting the animals considerably more complicated than previous rescue efforts. Care teams from participating aquariums are expected to arrive in Ontario within the coming weeks to evaluate each whale, complete veterinary examinations and begin preparing them for transport. Aquarium officials say no animal will travel until Canadian veterinarians determine it is medically fit for relocation.
The animals are expected to be moved over several weeks rather than all at once. Aquarium staff say each whale will require individualized medical assessments and carefully planned transportation to minimize stress during the relocation. The American consortium has described the operation as « remarkably complex, » noting that specialists from multiple facilities will work together throughout the process. Once relocated, the whales will join existing beluga populations already living at accredited aquariums, while the dolphins are expected to begin a separate transition in Spain after receiving the necessary international approvals.
Marineland warns federal government
The rescue effort gained urgency earlier this year after Marineland warned the federal government it was running out of money to care for the whales and dolphins. Following Ottawa’s rejection of an earlier proposal to export the animals to China, the park said euthanasia had become a possible outcome if an alternative solution could not be found. That warning prompted a coalition of accredited North American aquariums to develop what they described as an emergency rescue proposal designed to relocate the animals to facilities capable of providing long-term care.
We recognize we can no longer provide the long-term care these animals require, and we believe this rescue… is in the whales’ best interest.
-Marineland of Canada
Final blow to Marineland
For Marineland, the rescue is the final chapter for an organization mired in controversy. Once known as one of Ontario’s largest tourist attractions, the park closed permanently in 2024 after years of declining attendance, financial difficulties, and animal welfare issues. With U.S. approval now secured and Canadian permits nearing completion, the relocation is expected to begin in the coming months, bringing an end to the largest captive beluga population in the country and one of the most significant marine animal transfers ever undertaken in North America.