NEED TO KNOW
- Marineland in Ontario threatened to euthanize 30 belugas unless the Canadian government provided funding for the animals’ care
- This demand comes after the government rejected the park’s bid to sell the whales to another park in China, citing the animals’ welfare
- Marineland has faced allegations of animal mistreatment for years, with 20 whales dying in the park’s care since 2019
A shuttered amusement park and aquarium in Canada is reportedly claiming it will have to euthanize 30 beluga whales unless the federal government provides them with funding.
Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario — which went up for sale in 2023 and closed to the public in summer 2024 — allegedly threatened to kill its remaining 30 belugas unless the park received federal aid to continue providing the animals still living at Marineland with care, per The Guardian, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), and CBS News. The outlets reported that the shuttered park notified the Canadian government on October 3 that it would need funding or approval to export the whales to another location by October 7.
After years of allegations of animal mistreatment, including the death of 20 whales since 2019, per The Guardian, Marineland closed its doors in September 2024 after 60 years in operation. According to CBS, Marineland has been attempting to sell its remaining animals since then.
PEOPLE reached out to Marineland, but representatives for the closed park did not immediately respond with a comment.
Earlier in October, Canada’s fisheries minister, Joanne Thompson, denied Marineland’s request to sell the belugas to a theme park in China, citing that the sale would further the animals’ mistreatment.
Marineland’s Oct. 3 letter, reportedly addressed to Thompson, said that the closed park is in a “critical financial state” and thus cannot “provide adequate care for the whales.” The correspondence also claimed the belugas’ potential euthanization would be “a direct consequence of the minister’s decision” not to approve the export permits necessary to sell the whales.
Thompson denied Marineland’s request for funding. “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,” Thompson wrote in her response, per CBS.
Erin Ryan, the wildlife campaign manager for World Animal Protection Canada, told CBC that Marineland’s letter was “morally reprehensible,” and that euthanasia should never be used as a way to cut costs.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“It should only be seen as an option when independent veterinary assessment deems that it’s in the best interest of the animals,” Ryan said.
Read the full article here
