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SeaWorld San Antonio is part of an international collaboration to rescue 30 beluga whales from Marineland, a closed theme park in Canada.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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SeaWorld San Antonio will be part of an international rescue effort to save 30 beluga whales from a closed Canadian theme park.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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The park is one of several marine life facilities that was approved to take in the whales from Marineland, along with SeaWorld San Diego, Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.<\/p>\n
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Oceanogr\u00e0fic Val\u00e8ncia,\u00a0in Spain, is also participating in the rescue, and Connecticut\u2019s Mystic Aquarium won\u2019t receive any whales but is assisting with the effort, SeaWorld said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
READ MORE: SeaWorld San Antonio beluga whale Martha, an original resident, dies<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe are happy to report that National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has given approval for us, along with our partners, to save thirty beluga whales stranded at a closed park in Canada,\u201d SeaWorld said in a post on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThese whales are currently living at\u00a0Marineland of Canada, a park that has closed and is no longer able to provide for their long-term care,\u201d the post said. \u201cThis has created an urgent animal welfare situation that requires experienced, accredited marine life experts to step in.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Marineland was a park and zoo in Ontario, near Niagara Falls. It closed to the public in 2024, and officials there have battled with the Canadian government over the fate of its remaining animals, the Guardian\u00a0reported<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Last fall, Marineland threatened to euthanize the 30 beluga whales if the government did not approve permits to transfer them or provide funding for the park, the publication reported at the time<\/a>. The park was seeking permission to send the whales to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, a theme park in Zhuhai, China, but the federal agency blocked the move.\u00a0<\/p>\n In June, Canada\u2019s Department of Fisheries and Oceans endorsed a new plan to move the whales to the United States and Spain, and the U.S. government signed off recently.\u00a0<\/p>\n