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Animal Justice is fighting to protect beluga whales at Marineland from potential transfers to subpar facilities that could jeopardize their health or use them for breeding. One facility reportedly under consideration is Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, a large theme park in Hengqin, Zhuhai, China. There, the whales could be used for breeding and performances\u2014activities which are illegal in Canada<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n We have sent a letter to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans outlining our concerns about the potential transfer to Chimelong and urging authorities to ensure that any transfers are in the animals\u2019 best interests. Additionally, we\u2019re requesting that independent medical evaluations are done on all remaining whales and dolphins to ensure they are healthy enough to withstand the stress of lengthy transport.<\/p>\n Ultimately, we\u2019re asking the government to help send as many whales as possible to sanctuaries, including one being developed by the Whale Sanctuary Project<\/a>\u2019s ocean sanctuary in Nova Scotia\u2014the best possible option for these animals who unfortunately cannot be released into the wild.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the meantime, we\u2019re calling on authorities in Ontario to urgently improve the living conditions of the animals currently held in Marineland\u2019s tanks. Provincial Animal Welfare Services has reportedly been investigating the facility for years, but more needs to be done to assess animals\u2019 health, bring in caregivers or veterinarians, and improve the tanks in which they are confined. Provincial animal welfare laws allow authorities to take steps such as these to relieve animals\u2019 distress and send the bill for the animals\u2019 care to Marineland.<\/p>\n Neither Marineland nor the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) have disclosed whether export permits have been requested, despite multiple requests for information. What happens to the whales at Marineland is a serious matter of public interest\u2014and this lack of transparency is deeply troubling.<\/p>\n In 2019, Animal Justice helped support the passage of Bill S-203, which is designed to phase out whale and dolphin captivity due to the heartbreaking suffering these animals endure in tanks. Under Canadian law, it\u2019s now illegal to breed captive whales and dolphins or force them to perform for entertainment.<\/p>\n The Chimelong park in China displays belugas and other animals to the public and has regular beluga shows at its park. This would likely be the fate for any belugas obtained from Marineland.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n To make matters even worse, there are zero national animal protection laws in China and it would be extremely difficult for Canadian officials to ensure any whales transported to Chimelong would not be used for breeding or entertainment.<\/p>\n The transport of whales across the world would also pose serious risks to the physical and mental well-being of the animals, especially for the ones already in poor health. In 2021, five of Marineland\u2019s whales were transferred to Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut, even though some were suffering health conditions at the time. Tragically, three of these whales died<\/a> by the end of 2023.<\/p>\n In February, Marineland received approval from the City of Niagara Falls to split up its property to secure funding from a lender that requires Marineland to swiftly remove its marine animals. Animal Justice lawyers fought to stop the land deal<\/a> due to the lack of clarity about what this means for the dozens of marine animals still held captive at the facility.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n![\"Beluga](\"https:\/\/animaljustice.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/beluga-at-marineland.jpg\"\/)
![\"Beluga](\"https:\/\/animaljustice.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/beluga-at-marineland.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nWhale Transfer to China Would Perpetuate Suffering<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Marineland Closed & Up For Sale<\/strong><\/h2>\n