31 Stranded Beluga Whales Need Your Help!

By Mark J. Palmer

Marineland in Niagara Falls, Canada, holds the largest group of captive beluga whales in the world, and their future is at risk. These last beluga whales in captivity in Canada are languishing in concrete tanks in a facility that is unhealthy.

Reports indicate that 18 beluga whales have died at Marineland over the past five years. The last beluga that died was only 7 years old and was euthanized in February due to medical problems.

Marineland plans to divide up the property, and the loan financing to redevelop the site requires that all marine mammals be removed. But where they will go? Marineland could try to send them to aquariums in China or Japan, or they could try to export them to US marine parks, essentially condemning the beluga whales to a lifetime of performing repetitive tricks for the public.

Ominously, according to Yahoo! News, “a consultant for Marineland, Andrew Burns, registered as a lobbyist to "communicate with government officials" about obtaining permits to trade endangered species internationally and export cetaceans, a classification of aquatic mammals that includes whales and dolphins.”

These captive belugas need to be relocated to seaside sanctuaries. The International Marine Mammal Project of Earth Island Institute is honored to join 28 of our colleague organizations signing a letter to the Canadian government, urging that a plan be made for the retiring and relocating these whales to natural ocean water seaside sanctuaries.

What You Can Do:

Please Sign Our Petition to let the Canadian government know that people around the globe want to prevent these belugas from going to another amusement park.

Don’t go to an amusement park or aquarium that holds captive dolphins and/or whales. Tell the management why you will not visit their establishment until they retire their cetaceans to seaside sanctuaries.

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The International Marine Mammal Project of Earth Island Institute is working to end captivity of all whales and dolphins globally. Your support has been the key to our success. Your enthusiasm and donations keep us going. Please donate today to help captive orcas and belugas, if you have not done so already. Thank you!