Marineland Threatens Mass Euthanasia of 30 Captive Belugas

As of October 9th, 2025, Marineland, an amusement park in Canada, is facing a difficult decision regarding the fate of 30 captive belugas. In a letter obtained by CBC News last week, the park threatened to euthanize the whales unless the federal government could provide them with financial support.

The threat came after the Canadian government denied Marineland's request to send the whales to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, a theme park in China that was interested in purchasing the mammals. The government stated that its aim was to prevent the whales from being used for entertainment purposes.

Marine mammal experts have warned that euthanizing the belugas would come with a host of logistical and moral issues. Veterinarian and marine biologist Chris Harvey-Clark, who is affiliated with the Whale Sanctuary Project in Nova Scotia, explained that the euthanasia process would involve sedating the whales and then administering a life-ending drug, which could pose environmental concerns if the whales were buried or left to decompose.

Additionally, Andrew Trites, the director of the Marine Mammal Research Unit at the University of British Columbia, noted that the whales' captive upbringing means they would not know how to hunt for food, making their release into the wild an unviable option.

Both experts emphasized the ethical dilemmas surrounding the potential euthanasia, as the whales are highly social and skilled communicators, and the loss of their pod members could cause them significant distress.

As of October 9th, 2025, Marineland has not been able to find a suitable sanctuary or other facility to house the whales, and the threat of euthanasia remains a possibility if a solution is not found soon.