Shedd Aquarium to take in beluga whales from shuttered marine park in Canada
The Shedd Aquarium is helping out with a major rescue as it prepares to take in beluga whales from a closed marine park in Canada.
A total of 30 belugas have been sitting in a large enclosure at Marineland of Canada, a shuttered zoo and amusement park in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Marineland featured an assortment of marine mammals, including belugas and other whales, dolphins, seals, and sea lions, as well as land animals such as bears and deer, as reported by the CBC. The park also featured amusement rides.
Marineland closed to the public in 2024, and the belugas have been stranded ever since.
The park had been cited by the government for animal welfare concerns, and the park is no longer willing or financially able to care for the animals. The park's owners threatened to euthanize the whales, the Shedd said.
The U.S. government approved an emergency rescue on Wednesday. As a result, up to 10 belugas from Marineland will join the existing beluga pod at the Shedd.
"The veterinary program here is very proactive, incorporating both routine wellness exams as well as state-of-the-art medical care," said Dr. Karisa Tang, vice president of animal health at the Shedd Aquarium. "This rescue, first and foremost, provides the best possible life for these belugas, and we also hope that it inspires people to think about the role they play in protecting our planet."
The other belugas from Marineland will be going to the Georgia Aquarium, Sea World locations in San Antonio and San Diego, and an aquarium in Spain.
"An international rescue at this scale has never been done before, and it's incredibly complex," said Tang. "From a beluga's perspective, they're going to swim into a stretcher and be lifted out of their habitats, and placed in a temporary holding that's specifically designed to transport beluga whales. They'll then be lifted into a truck, and go to the airport, and be flown to their destinations."
There was no word Wednesday on the exact timeline for the rescue.
