Canada endorses embattled marine park’s plan to relocate 30 beluga whales

Canada and Marineland have reached a tentative deal to relocate 30 beluga whales, a move that would end whale captivity in Canada. The federal fisheries ministry said all of Marineland’s belugas would be shipped to either Spain or one of four locations in the US.

Marineland, which effectively closed to visitors in 2024, and the government had sparred for months over their fate, and the park at one point threatened to euthanize the animals after Canada’s fisheries minister blocked their sale to China. Oceanogràfic València has offered to take some of the whales, and a consortium of American aquariums in Georgia, Chicago, San Diego and San Antonio have agreed to accept others.

A spokesperson for the group said there was “no definite timeline” for the rescue but that it could unfold over a “matter of weeks”. Permits still need to be finalised and the government said they will be issued closer to the date of transport, pending final animal health checks.

Canada

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