Four beluga whales from a shuttered aquatic park in Niagara Falls, Canada, were on their way to Shedd Aquarium Monday as part of an “unprecedented rescue effort,” according to Canadian media.
Two more whales were headed to SeaWorld in San Antonio Monday, according to The Canadian Press.
It’s the first phase of a plan to move up to 30 belugas over the next few weeks from Marineland to several American aquariums as well as to Oceanografic Valencia in Spain. Earlier this month, Shedd announced it could receive as many as 10 belugas from Marineland.
One of the trucks, holding a blue water tank, in which beluga whales were to be transported from the now-closed Marineland in Niagara Falls, Canada. Several of the whales were removed from by a group of experts from Marineland and several U.S. aquariums on Monday.
(Carlos Osorio/The Canadian Press, distributed by the Associated Press
Shedd officials declined Monday to offer a timeline for when the whales would arrive at the aquarium or to confirm Canadian press reports that they were in fact on their way to Chicago.
“As reported, an initial rescue of the belugas at Marineland of Canada is under way. This is a complex rescue operation and experts are focused on the immediate safety and comfort of the animals involved. The group of accredited aquariums will share more details and updates as animals arrive safely to their new homes,” said Kayley Galassini, Shedd’s director of public relations.
The belugas headed to Shedd are named Sierra, Acadia, Osiris and Lillooet, The Canadian Press reported.
The future of the beluga whales has been in doubt since Marineland closed to the public in 2024. Marineland has previously threatened to euthanize the sea mammals, citing a lack of funding to care for them.
In June, the Canadian government signed off on the plan to send the belugas to the American and Spanish aquariums. Earlier this month, U.S. authorities followed suit and signed off on the plan.
Twenty whales — 19 belugas and one killer whale — have died at Marineland since 2019, according to provincial government data obtained through freedom-of-information laws and official statements, the Associated Press reported.
The planned move to the aquariums is controversial, with some animal rights advocates arguing that the belugas are being exported potentially in violation of a 2019 Canadian law that bans the breeding of marine mammals in captivity.
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