Canada Approves Export of 30 Marineland Belugas to Spanish and U.S. Aquariums

S. , or SeaWorld in San Antonio, Texas. The whales have lived under the threat of euthanasia since last fall, when the federal government denied Marineland's request to export them to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in China.

Marineland closed to the public in 2024 after the deaths of owners John Holer and his wife Marie Holer. Staff have continued to care for the animals since the closure. "There is no definite timeline for the rescue," Johnny Ford, a Shedd Aquarium vice president speaking on behalf of the collective of aquariums, said in an email to CBC News.

Medical exams by Canadian veterinarians are still required to confirm each animal is healthy enough to travel. S. and Spanish governments are also needed, and Ford said the group is already engaged in that process.

Final signoff from the federal government through export permits remains necessary. According to the Fisheries Act, such permits can be issued if it is in the best interest of the whales to leave the country. " The department is working with Canada Border Services Agency and Health Canada to ensure all requirements are met for a safe and timely transfer.

Oceanográfic València has been involved from the beginning because of its experience moving belugas across borders. In June 2024, the Spanish aquarium evacuated two belugas, a 15-year-old male named Plombir and a 14-year-old female named Miranda, from an aquarium in Kharkiv, Ukraine.

Georgia Aquarium and SeaWorld collaborated on that operation, which involved trucking the animals 12 hours across Ukraine to Moldova before they were flown to València.