Listen to this article
Estimated 2 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
The transfer of six belugas from Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ont., to aquariums in the U.S. began Monday.
Here’s a visual recounting of how it worked.
This drone image shows whale pools at the closed tourist attraction on Monday, ahead of the move. Marineland staff could be seen attending to and feeding the whales.
The operation to move the creatures, which can weigh as much as 1,900 kilograms, involved special slings, cranes, transport trucks, large blue containers and more than two dozen workers.
Marineland on Monday. (Patrick Morrell/CBC)
The water was partially drained from one of the pools.
Workers move into the pool at Marineland Monday. (Patrick Morell/CBC)
Experts from Marineland and the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago were on scene. Here, workers surround a whale with netting to manoeuvre it into a sling.
Bertie Botts is moved into position at Marineland on Monday. (Carlos Osorio/The Canadian Press)
The whales were moved in the special slings, which had holes for their flippers, by crane to large blue containers on the back of a flatbed trailer. (These images don’t show all the same whale, but show what the sequence was like for any one of them.)
Workers surround a sling. (Patrick Morrell/CBC)
The tank for the beluga named Acadia sits ahead of the move Monday. (Carlos Osorio/The Canadian Press)
Sierra is lifted in a sling. (Carlos Osario/The Canadian Press)
The transport container included water, a pool liner and soft material to act as a cushion.
The beluga Frankie is lowered into place. (Carlos Osorio/The Canadian Press)
Sierra splashes water out of its container. (Carlos Osorio/The Canadian Press)
A whale in its travelling container Monday. (Patrick Morrell/CBC)
The police-escorted convoy then made its way to Toronto Pearson International Airport. The convoy, which included medical teams, was to move slowly and avoid steep inclines, to keep the whales stable.
The trucks, their backs now enclosed, on Monday at Marineland. (Patrick Morrell/CBC)
The convoy of six belugas moves along a highway toward Toronto Pearson International Airport on Monday night. (Carlos Osorio/The Canadian Press)
Four of the whales being shipped Monday — Sierra, Acadia, Osiris and Lillooet — were headed to the Shedd Aquarium, while the others — Bertie Botts and Frankie — were going to SeaWorld in San Antonio, Texas. They were all transported on the same plane.
Similarly, the plane had to avoid taking off or landing too steeply.
The plane that moved the whales from Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ont., to aquariums in the U.S. (Shedd Aquarium)
The whales arrived at their new homes today.
One of the whales is tended to by Shedd Aquarium employees. (Shedd Aquarium)
The transport plan could see up to 30 of the remaining whales at the former park relocated to four U.S. aquariums and one in Spain over the next few weeks.