Whales in captivity in Canada face the threat of euthanasia and an uncertain future

The park near the famous Niagara Falls (northeast of the country) has been causing controversy for years. Since 2019, at least 20 killer whales and 19 beluga whales have died at this theme park, according to a Canadian newspaper count.

Marineland said all the deaths were from natural causes, but animal welfare inspectors from Ontario reported that all the animals were distressed due to poor water quality in the park. Because the whales were raised in captivity, they would not be able to survive in the wild.

Park managers thought they had found a solution last month when they announced plans to send whales to the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom theme park in China. However, the Canadian federal government blocked the idea because the solution would perpetuate the exploitation of whales.

The park also announced that it was “entirely in debt and running out of resources to provide adequate care for the whales.” “Our only options at this time are to transfer the whales or face the devastating decision of euthanasia,” a statement said. Marineland repeatedly refused to respond to AFP’s request to comment on what would happen to the cetaceans.

Phil Demers, a former trainer at the theme park, has been working to document the alleged abuse inside the park. He told AFP that the threat of euthanasia “is not real.”

-It’s illegal. “No one would ever be involved in something so terrible,” he added, insisting Demers was only motivated by money and wanted to sell the whales.

However, he commented that Marineland’s plan to move the animals to another park, including one in China, is the only viable option.

– It is a question of when and where, not whether it will happen or not.

But one major hurdle is the End Whale and Dolphin Captivity Act, which was passed in Canada in 2019. This legislation, which made it illegal to keep some marine mammals in captivity, prevented the government from approving the plan to export to China.

Like many similar parks, Marineland has suffered a decline in revenue due to growing global resistance to attractions where mammals are trained in captivity to perform.

Demers noted that there are not many facilities in the world that can accommodate multiple whales, and the Chinese facility, which has invested heavily in huge tanks, could succeed.

– I think the minister was wrong in denying the export license, but time will reveal that.

A spokeswoman for Fisheries Minister Joan Thompson told AFP that “Canada is open to considering other transfers or export licences” and new proposals will be considered.

Christy Burgess’s first job at Marineland was as a waitress. After seeing the birth of a whale, she studied and became an instructor at the park. Although the whales lived in an “abusive” environment, with dirty, “dilapidated” facilities, the employees responsible for them loved them very much, he admitted to AFP.

– There are many whales, three in particular, I constantly think about and wonder what they would look like. “I miss them so much,” Burgess said.

She believes that whales need a decent home and Marineland is clearly not the solution. Another option that has emerged is a retreat on Canada’s Atlantic coast, in the province of Nova Scotia. The project is under discussion and its construction has not yet begun, which is why some reject it.