A new controversy is unfolding in Canada after the now-defunct Marineland marine park in Niagara Falls reportedly threatened to euthanize its remaining 30 beluga whales unless it receives immediate financial assistance from the federal government. The park, which officially shut down in 2024, claims it is bankrupt and unable to continue covering the animals’ maintenance and care costs. 

The threat came to light through a letter sent to Canadian authorities, cited by multiple Canadian and U.S. outlets, in which Marineland’s management warns that it can no longer afford the feeding and upkeep of the whales without emergency funding. The revelation has sparked widespread outrage among animal rights activists, who condemned the statement as an “unethical act of blackmail” and urged the government to intervene immediately to confiscate the whales and relocate them to safe marine sanctuaries.

Fisheries and Oceans Minister Joanne Thompson had previously rejected Marineland’s request for financial support and blocked a proposed export of the animals to China, a move applauded by environmental groups.

However, the current crisis has reignited debate over Canada’s lack of adequate facilities to house rescued or retired marine mammals. For decades, Marineland had been at the center of allegations of animal cruelty, poor living conditions, and numerous marine mammal deaths. The most infamous case involved the orca “Kiska”, dubbed “the world’s loneliest whale,” who died in 2023 after more than a decade of isolation in a concrete tank.

Her haunting videos, showing her swimming in circles and striking the walls, became a global symbol of captivity’s toll on intelligent marine life. Following the park’s closure, Marineland was legally obligated to ensure the welfare of the animals left behind. But recent reports indicate that the facility’s financial collapse and lack of oversight have placed the remaining belugas in grave danger.

Organizations such as the Whale Sanctuary Project and Humane Society International have offered to assist in relocating the whales to protected ocean refuges, though experts warn that such efforts require swift coordination and government funding.

The case has reignited an ethical and political debate over the future of marine parks and the government’s responsibility toward animals once used for entertainment. As public concern grows, the fate of Marineland’s final whales may soon hinge on a crucial decision from Ottawa in the coming days.