TORONTO — A Canadian marine park that closed last year wants to send its remaining 30 beluga whales to an aquarium in China. But Canada’s fisheries minister refused to issue an export permit because the animals would continue living in captivity.
Now, Marineland, a once popular tourist attraction in Niagara Falls, Ontario, that says it is on the brink of bankruptcy, threatened to euthanize the whales if the government denied it an emergency cash infusion by Tuesday.
“If we do not receive a response by that date, we will have no choice but to presume that the answers to our inquiries are negative,” the park said in an Oct. 3 letter to the Fisheries Ministry, adding that whatever happens to the animals would be “a direct consequence of the minister’s decision.”
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The Fisheries Ministry gave its answer Monday night — Marineland would not be getting more money.
“The fact that Marineland has not planned for a viable alternative despite raising these whales in captivity for many years, does not place the onus on the Canadian government to cover your expenses,” Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson said in a letter to Marineland.
Animal welfare activists and local politicians have accused the park of effectively attempting a shakedown.
Representatives from Marineland did not respond to requests for comment.
The park closed to the public in 2024, after years of declining attendance and accusations of animal abuse. Its operations were also hobbled by an animal protection law that Canada enacted in 2019 banning the breeding of captive whales and dolphins or their use for entertainment.
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The legislation became known as the “Free Willy” bill, after the 1993 movie.
In recent years, there has been a growing movement away from keeping whales and dolphins captive in enclosed surroundings.
But simply setting them free is not usually an option. Marine mammals that are bred in captivity have low prospects of survival in the wild, animals experts say, because they lack skills including hunting.
At the height of its popularity, Marineland was a major destination for families with young children, primarily for its choreographed shows featuring jumping killer whales, twirling dolphins, and compliant walruses in an exhibit designed to look like a medieval castle.
The park was founded in 1961 by John Holer, a Slovenian immigrant who said he loved animals, and the facility eventually expanded to cover 1,000 acres of grounds and also included rides and dining.
But its reputation crumbled over the years as Marineland faced ongoing protests from animal welfare activists and claims about the inhumane treatment of its animals.
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