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Marineland Beluga Situation
October 16, 2025
Marineland, in Niagara Falls, Ont., has announced that the 30 belugas at the waterpark may have to be euthanized due to the high cost of providing for their ongoing care and management.
The Whale Sanctuary Project (WSP) in Nova Scotia, which has been suggested as a possible destination, is not currently prepared to accept any of the whales. Completion and preparation of the sanctuary as well as assessment and preconditioning of the whales for successful relocation will be complex and prolonged.
Therefore, options for the immediate and ongoing care of the marine mammals based on their health and individual needs are required. These are under review by both the federal and Ontario governments.
The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), including cetacean, welfare, zoological, and behavioural experts, has reviewed the situation and is calling for a staged, veterinary-led triage and emergency-care plan for individual belugas to determine what is in the best interest of each animal.
Related CVMA position statements:
- Animal Sentience | Canadian Veterinary Medical Association
- Aquatic Animal Veterinary Medicine | Canadian Veterinary Medical Association
- Euthanasia | Canadian Veterinary Medical Association
- Unaccredited Zoological Facilities: Risks and Recommendations | Canadian Veterinary Medical Association