Why the Marineland Beluga Relocation is Capturing Global Attention
Relocations for the first of dozens of beluga whales that remained at the now-shuttered Marineland Canada have begun, according to the aquariums assisting in the rescue.Marineland Canada, located in Niagara Falls, Ontario, closed in September 2024 in the wake of controversy and allegations of animal abuse, CBC reported. Thirty beluga whales remained at the facility -- their care funded by donations. But once those donations ran out, their caretakers worried that euthanasia might be imminent -- asking the Canadian government in October 2025 for funds to feed the marine mammals.On Monday, six of the beluga whales began their journey to their new home, according to several Association of Zoos & Aquariums-accredited aquariums that are collaborating in the rescue.Veterinarians assessed the belugas' fitness for travel before they were loaded into specialized cold-water containers and transported by truck and plane, the aquariums said. The belugas, ranging in age from 6 to about 40, have been receiving "top-notch care" and are all in great condition, Eric Otjen, vice president of zoological operations at SeaWorld San Diego, told ABC News.A cargo jet is loaded with crates containing beluga whales, among the first batch of six to be transported to aquariums in the U.S. from the closed marine park Marineland Canada, at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, on July 20, 2026.Brenna Hernandez/Shedd Aquarium via ReutersA member of the relocation team from Chicago's Shedd Aquarium touches a beluga whale, one of the first batch of six to be transported to aquariums in the U.S., after its relocation from the closed marine park Marineland Canada to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, on July 21, 2026.Heidi Zeiger/Shedd Aquarium via ReutersThe tanks, which Otjen said are big enough to allow the massive belugas -- some of which are up to 16 feet long -- to float, were boarded onto a Qatar Airways Boeing 777.By Tuesday, all of the belugas had made it safely to their new homes at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and SeaWorld San Antonio -- both already homes to multigenerational pods of belugas, the aquariums said.The belugas were accompanied by aquatic medicine specialists, veterinarians and caretakers along the trip. Throughout the process, the belugas are never alone, Otjen said. The caretakers often joined the belugas in the tanks, the aquariums said,"Their safety and well-being is our top priority," Otjen said.Four beluga whales, among the first batch of six to be transported to aquariums in the U.S., swim in a pool at the closed marine park Marineland Canada in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, on July 20, 2026.Georgia Aquarium via ReutersMembers of the relocation team from Chicago's Shedd Aquarium use a sling to move a beluga whale, one of the first batch of six to be transported to aquariums in the U.S., at the closed marine park Marineland Canada in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, on July 20, 2026.Brenna Hernandez/Shedd Aquarium via ReutersThe hours and days after the belugas arrive are among the most critical, Otjen said.Popular ReadsThe teams will be looking for behaviors such as foraging, exploring, eating and socializing, which are all indicators that the belugas are doing well, Karisa Tang, lead veterinarian and vice president of animal health at Shedd Aquarium, said in a statement."This moment marks a new beginning for these rescued belugas," said Tang said "Now that they are here, the full attention of our care and veterinary teams is on getting to know these whales and providing whatever supplemental support, treatment and care we can to help them acclimate to their new home."A Marineland poster at the now-closed entrance of the park is seen through a fence, in Niagara Falls, Canada, on November 13, 2025.Daphne Lemelin/AFP via Getty ImagesIn addition to Shedd Aquarium and SeaWorld San Antonio, the additional 24 belugas will be sent to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, SeaWorld San Diego and Oceanografic Valencia in Spain over the coming months, Otjen. The Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut has also been assisting in the rescues.The consortium of aquariums spent much of the early part of the year coming up with a plan to safely rescue the belugas -- at the request of Marineland and endorsed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.This aerial view shows various belugas still held in captivity at the now closed Artic Cove exhibit, at Marineland, in Niagara Falls, Canada, on November 13, 2025.Daphne Lemelin/AFP via Getty ImagesEarlier this month, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration granted the aquariums an emergency rescue permit to save the belugas stranded at Marineland.The order of the relocations was determined by sub-pods formed around pre-existing relationships between the animals, allowing bonded belugas to be moved together, their caretakers said."Our plans naturally evolved as we learned more about the whales, and we landed with a plan that gives each beluga the best opportunity to thrive," Chris Dodd, chief zoological operations officer at SeaWorld, said in a statement.
