Before boarding the plane, the travellers will be given a dose of Valium to calm their nerves. For some, it will be the first time they\u2019ve flown. Others have logged thousands of miles over the Pacific Ocean. Like most weary and anxious passengers, they will be offered minimal personal space on board and food isn\u2019t included in their fare.<\/p>\n
But for these jet-setters, the tight quarters and minimal refreshments aren\u2019t meant to maximize airline profits: they\u2019re meant to keep them safe.<\/p>\n
When 30 beluga whales and four dolphins are moved from Canada\u2019s Marineland amusement park, the operation will be both a careful logistical feat and what former trainers say is a \u201clong overdue\u201d move to ensure the safe removal of the last captive whales in the country<\/a>.<\/p>\n Earlier this week, Canada\u2019s federal fisheries minister Joanne Thompson announced she had reached a tentative deal on export permits that would see all of Marineland\u2019s ailing belugas shipped to four aquariums in the US. None of the aquariums, however, have confirmed they will take the whales. \u201cThe focus at this stage must be on the animals themselves,\u201d the Georgia Aquarium, Mystic Aquarium and Shedd Aquarium said in a statement, adding that observations from a recent visit to Marineland would help \u201cinform plans with the goal of providing hope and a future for these animals\u201d.<\/p>\n But the development represents the closest all sides have come to for a plan to finally remove the whales from the amusement park, which has been closed to the public since 2024.<\/p>\n In October, Thompson rejected Marineland\u2019s plan to sell the belugas to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in China over fears the sale would result in a \u201ccontinued life in captivity and a return to public entertainment\u201d\u2013 which is banned under Canadian law.<\/p>\n In response, Marineland threatened to kill<\/a> all 30 of its belugas.<\/p>\n This aerial view shows various belugas still held in captivity at the now closed Artic Cove exhibit, at Marineland, in Niagara Falls, Canada, on 13 November 2025. Photograph: Daphne Lemelin\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n According to Phil Demers, a former trainer turned whistleblower, moving a single whale requires careful planning, but transporting 30 whales is an immensely complex task and one that can nonetheless also be done \u201cincredibly fast\u201d.<\/p>\n Firstly, all the cetaceans must receive a clean bill of health after close inspection by a veterinarian. Of the belugas that could be sent, two have been receiving medical treatment in recent months for health issues.<\/p>\n