Park claims financial collapse after export ban to China
A defunct marine park in Ontario has sparked outrage after warning it will euthanize its remaining 30 beluga whales unless the Canadian government provides emergency funding by Tuesday night.
Marineland, once a major tourist attraction in Niagara Falls, says it has run out of money to care for the animals after Fisheries Minister Joanna Thompson denied a permit to export them to China’s Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, a large aquarium in Zhuhai, The New York Times reported.
Thompson said approving the transfer would perpetuate captivity and exploitation. “I cannot in good conscience approve an export that would continue the treatment these beluga whales have endured,” she said in a statement.
Marineland warns of “direct consequence” if funding denied
In a letter to federal officials last Friday, Marineland said that if it received no response by the deadline, it would assume its request had been rejected — warning that the whales’ deaths would be “a direct consequence of the minister’s decision.”
Minister says government not responsible for Marineland’s poor planning
Fisheries Minister Joanna Thompson responded on Monday, saying the park had failed to plan responsibly for the animals’ long-term care. “The fact that Marineland has not planned for a viable alternative despite raising these whales in captivity for many years does not place the onus on the Canadian government to cover your expenses,” she wrote.
Thompson added that her stance aligns with Canada’s 2019 “Free Willy” law, which bans the breeding and use of whales and dolphins for entertainment. The law has been credited with effectively ending Marineland’s operations after six decades, as attendance dropped and finances deteriorated.
History of animal welfare controversies
Marineland has faced long-standing allegations of animal neglect and poor living conditions. Since 2019, 20 whales — including one orca — have died at the facility, according to the Canadian Press. In 2024, the park was fined for keeping black bears in small enclosures without sufficient water.
Animal welfare groups have condemned the park’s latest ultimatum. “Threatening to kill all their animals if they don’t get emergency funding is just repugnant,” said Melissa Matlow, a Toronto-based animal welfare advocate.
Camille Labchuk, executive director of Animal Justice, said Marineland had “a moral obligation to fund the future care of these animals,” calling its threat “reprehensible.”
World Animal Protection urged the Ontario government to intervene and relocate the beluga whales to ensure proper care. “This is the last generation of whales and dolphins that will ever have to suffer again in Canada,” Matlow said.
