Another group of beluga whales has departed Marineland, marking the second wave of relocations from the shuttered Niagara Falls attraction.
Seven female belugas—Xena, Gemini, Skyla, Meeka, Eve, Neva and Calypso—were transported Monday to SeaWorld San Antonio, according to a statement from Marineland. The facility emphasized that the animals' health, safety and well-being remain paramount during the journey.
This latest transfer follows the successful relocation of six belugas on July 20 to two separate destinations: Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and SeaWorld in San Antonio. One of Marineland's advisers has described the complex operation—which requires custom slings, dozens of personnel, and extensive international coordination—as unprecedented.
The park, located near Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, has been closed to visitors since 2024 while ownership works to sell the property. Financial difficulties have left Marineland unable to continue caring for its marine mammals, the park has stated.
The relocation effort comes after a turbulent period for the facility. An earlier proposal to transfer the belugas and dolphins to a Chinese aquarium was rejected by Canada's federal fisheries minister. Following that setback, Marineland drew international scrutiny when it warned it might be forced to euthanize its entire beluga population without emergency financial assistance.
The crisis was ultimately resolved through an agreement with a group of aquariums from the United States and Spain, which developed the current relocation strategy.
Prior to these transfers, Marineland housed 30 belugas and four dolphins—the world's largest collection of captive belugas and Canada's last remaining captive cetaceans. With the completion of these relocations, the facility moves closer to resolving the fate of all its marine mammals.
