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Marineland has issued a warning to humanely kill 30 beluga whales if the national authorities fails to offer financial support for the struggling amusement park. This grave warning follows the blocking action by the country’s fisheries minister to prohibit the export of the marine mammals to a aquatic park in China.

Growing Criticism and Park’s Decline

Marineland, an amusement park that also houses a zoo, aquarium and forest, has endured increasing scrutiny over claims that the creatures are kept in substandard environments. The once-popular park, which did not open for the summer season, is phasing out its operations ahead of a potential sale. Earlier this year, a lawyer for the park stated plans to expeditiously remove the surviving creatures from the property.

Urgent Concern for Activists

The future of the park’s beluga whales has long been a pressing issue for activists who contend the marine animals should be moved to a sanctuary—however few viable options exist. Records gathered by Canadian Press indicate that twenty whales have perished at the park since 2019.

“To approve the application would have meant a prolonged confinement and a return to public entertainment,” the minister stated.

Economic Emergency and Looming Cutoff

In an October 3rd letter, Marineland warned that the financially distressed park is in a “critical financial state” and does not have the resources to “provide adequate care for the whales.” The park management declared that if the federal government fail to support the park or authorize the whales’ export by the specified date, Marineland will “confront the devastating decision” of putting down one of the world’s largest captive whale populations.

“The seriousness of the financial emergency at Marineland cannot be overstated; any further delay jeopardizes the welfare and security of the whales, and we fear we are losing the window to act,” the letter states.

Official Reactions and Provincial Authority

The provincial leader, Doug Ford, announced the province will “take all necessary steps” to give the surviving animals the “best life possible,” adding the condition of the park was “extremely dire.”

According to regional legislation, Ontario has the authority to take custody of the whales to protect their welfare—recovering any costs incurred when the park is sold.

Moral Obligation and Activist Statements

“Marineland has operated for years profiting from keeping whales in poor enclosures, and is now sitting on hundreds of millions of valuable real estate in Niagara Falls. Marineland has a moral obligation to finance the future care of these animals,” Camille Labchuk, legal advocate of an advocacy group, commented in a statement.

“The situation hasn’t emerged overnight,” the advocate added. “It’s the product of decades of neglect and cruelty. Marineland’s effort to strong-arm the government into reversing its decision, even suggesting it may kill the whales, is reprehensible.”

Facility’s Position on Animal Care

Marineland earlier claimed the whales “receive far better medical attention and around-the-clock attention than any human in the United Kingdom, or globally,” and that the park, which was checked “dozens” of times a year, had experts who “care for the animals when they are ill and every attempt to preserve their lives is made.”

The park also said that for decades, “animal rights activists have attempted to link any animal death with claimed mistreatment by the facility looking after the animals” which was “effective as promotional material” for those groups to fundraise.