30 Belugas Become Pawns in Animal Cruelty Row

Thirty beluga whales and four dolphins are to be relocated from Marineland amusement park in Canada, marking the closest all parties have come to a plan for their removal. Canada's federal fisheries minister has reached a tentative agreement on export permits, potentially sending the ailing belugas to four aquariums in the US. This development follows the minister's rejection of Marineland's proposal to sell the whales to China in October 2025, citing concerns about continued captivity, which is banned in Canada. Marineland had responded by threatening to euthanize all 30 belugas.

Moving the whales is described as an immensely complex task. Before transport, veterinarians must clear the cetaceans, and some have recently received medical treatment. According to a former trainer, the animals are "compromised" in captivity, with the Ontario government having previously deemed them "in distress." For those deemed healthy enough, feeding is stopped the night before, and a dose of Valium is administered. They are then guided into a fabric sling, lifted by a crane, and placed in a steel transport box filled with saltwater.

These transport boxes will be loaded onto trucks and driven to a plane, with Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft being favored for their cargo capacity. The process is reversed upon landing. While up to nine whales could be transported per trip, the last such move in 2021 saw five belugas sent to Mystic Aquarium, three of whom died shortly after arrival due to pre-existing health issues. Animal rights groups express heartbreak that the whales will not go to a proposed sanctuary but acknowledge the minister's difficult position given Marineland's threats. Marineland, however, expressed gratitude for the federal government's approval, prioritizing the animals' lives.