U.S. authorities have approved an \u201cemergency rescue\u201d operation to import Canada\u2019s last captive whales and dolphins, a consortium of marine parks said Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The shuttered Niagara Falls, Ont., tourist attraction is up for sale and the park has said it is running out of money to care for its complement of 30 belugas and four dolphins.<\/p>\n
Ottawa endorsed last month a plan to move the animals to several facilities in the United States and one in Spain. <\/p>\n
The whales are set to go to five marine parks: Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, SeaWorld locations in San Antonio and San Diego and Oceanografic Valencia in Spain. <\/p>\n
The U.S. parks are part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums who rallied to help Marineland after Ottawa nixed last fall a request for permits to export the whales to an aquarium in China. In response to that decision from the Canadian government, Marineland made international headlines when it threatened to euthanize all of its belugas if it didn\u2019t receive emergency funds.<\/p>\n
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration authorized the emergency rescue on July 1 after entering into an agreement with SeaWorld, Georgia Aquarium and the Shedd Aquarium, said Rachel Hager, a spokesperson for the agency.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 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,\u201d Hager said in an email.<\/p>\n
\u201cMarineland of Canada closed to the public in 2024, and there are no other facilities in Canada that are able to provide the whales husbandry or medical care”<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/RKQC32NWVLROBTAHTEVKASCU2A.jpg\")
A dolphin jumps out of the water as it performs during a show at Marineland amusement park in Niagara Falls, Ont., Friday, June 9, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Chris Young A dolphin jumps out of the water as it performs during a show at Marineland amusement park in Niagara Falls, Ont., Friday, June 9, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Chris Young <\/p>\n
The U.S. government agency said it has authorized a move of up to 28 belugas. It\u2019s believed two other belugas and four dolphins will head to Spain. <\/p>\n
The American parks consortium said they are still awaiting permits from the Spanish government. <\/p>\n
It is set to be an unprecedented move with the number of whales involved. Marineland has the highest number of captive belugas in the world.<\/p>\n
The U.S. aquariums said it will be a \u201cremarkably complex rescue operation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis collective of aquariums is well positioned for this extraordinary task, thanks to decades of beluga care experience and having collaborated on several successful beluga rescues in the past,\u201d said Johnny Ford, a spokesperson for the Shedd Aquarium and the rest of the consortium.<\/p>\n
Marineland said it welcomed the U.S. authorization of the relocation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe recognize we can no longer provide the long-term care these animals require, and we believe this rescue \u2014 led by AZA-accredited aquariums including Shedd Aquarium, Georgia Aquarium, SeaWorld San Antonio, and SeaWorld San Diego \u2014 is in the whales\u2019 best interest,\u201d Marineland said. <\/p>\n
\u201cCare teams will arrive in the coming weeks to assess the whales and prepare them for travel, and no whale will move until cleared by Canadian veterinarians.\u201d<\/p>\n
Canada\u2019s Department of Fisheries and Oceans issued the first batch of permits to export the whales and dolphins in early June and will have to sign off on final permits once they check the health of the animals. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis is an encouraging and critical next step for the safe relocation of the whales,\u201d said Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson in a statement.<\/p>\n
Thompson said she\u2019ll give a final sign-off once the animals\u2019 health check is complete and the appropriate documentation is submitted.<\/p>\n
The U.S. agreement shows 13 belugas will head to SeaWorld in San Antonio, six that originally came from Russian waters and seven that were born at Marineland. They are a mix of male and female whales.<\/p>\n
Three male belugas born at Marineland will head to SeaWorld in San Diego while another two males born at the park will head to the Georgia Aquarium.<\/p>\n
And 10 belugas, eight females from Russian waters along with two males born at Marineland, will be shipped off to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. <\/p>\n
The whales and dolphins will likely be moved in the next few months.<\/p>\n
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 8, 2026.<\/p>\n
Liam Casey, The Canadian Press<\/p>\n
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