ID: Five snow-white belugas glide through a large blue tank. in front of them, on the other side of a floor to ceiling viewing window that runs the length of the photo, are the silhouettes of seven people and several strollers, watching the belugas swim. Photo by: © Tara Walton/Toronto Star via Getty Images / Geo
What happens to animals when an aquatic park shuts down, the audiences are stop coming, and the money dries up?
In the case of Marineland Canada the answer has been over two years of red tape, negotiations, contention, and worry. But in January of 2026, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada gave provisional approval for thirty belugas and four dolphins to be transferred to facilities in the US and Spain. Eight months later twenty-four of the belugas and the four dolphins have been transferred with the rest expected to move ‘before the end of August’.
This is a look at what 30 belugas and 4 dolphins are experiencing.
📺 If you want start with fun videos of the belugas moving into to their new homes, scroll down to Good Whale News! at the end. 📺
ID: An aerial view of the main beluga habitat at Marineland Canada. It shows six interconnected, irregularly shaped pools surrounded by a wide space of pavement and enclosed by a dense wall of greenery. The water in all but one pool appears dark blue/black, the other, in the middle is blue with patches for dark gray. Thirty belugas, white, medium sized, torpedo shaped whales, are in the two largest pools. The smaller shapes of four light gray dolphins are in the middle pool. A few spots, which are likely humans, stand near the lower edge of the left pool. A truck and a car can be seen as well. There are no other people visible. Photo by Carlos Osorio/The Canadian Press via AP 2, June 26, 2026
Opened in 1961 in Ontario, Canada, Marineland was a theme park built within a large plot of forested land near Niagara Falls. It contained rides and attractions including land and marine animal enclosures and exhibits, as well as daily shows by orca, belugas, and dolphins.
Like many theme parks, Marineland’s early popularity was followed by years of decreasing sales and falling attendance combined with rising costs. The park closed its doors in 2024 after years of concerns about the care of their animals, the death of the founding owner and his wife, and the passage of the 2019 bill ‘Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act’. While some of the property’s animals were transferred to other facilities, there seemed to be no options for the belugas and dolphins, leaving them in six deteriorating pools, filled with 7.5 million gallons of manufactured salt water, eating over 1,200 pounds of fresh fish per day, cared for by a dedicated staff, and barely enough money to cover those costs. Marineland asked the government for financial support on a number of occasions. When that didn’t arrive, Marineland officials threatened to euthanize the pod.
ID: Aerial view of three belugas at the edge of their pool, noses to their handlers who are reaching over a ledge to work with them. Their long white bodies shade to blue as they hoover vertically in their dirty pool. Four other people move around on the pavement behind the handlers. Image by: Patrick Morrell/CBC, July 2025.
In January of 2026 Canada’s Fisheries Minister conditionally approved a deal to transfer the whales to a coalition of aquariums including SeaWorld Corp who owns and operates SeaWorld San Antonio and San Diego, Shedd Aquarium, and Georgia Aquarium in the US, and Oceanogràfic in Spain. All five facilities are accredited either by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) or the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). All have demonstrated the standards of care and experience with cetacean transfers that the Canadian government required for approval.
Moving 34 cetaceans across international borders takes months of planning. Part of the work was developing an action plan for how these facilities were going to safely move this very large pod of whales, each of whom weighs between 2,000 to 4,000 lbs. They are mammals who are made to live in water while breathing air, so they have to travel with both water and air, and as heavy as their bodies are, they have to be supported from tank to truck to plane to truck to their new home with that water. With five facilities involved thought must be give as which whales will go where, and with who, taking into account established bonds, and personalities. And because this is an international operation, the teams and whales are subject to the rules and regulations of three countries: Canada, the US, and Spain, including visas. The complexities of the move are vast and expensive but the end result is a better life for 34 beings.
Who are the Marineland belugas?
The Marineland beluga pod is composed of 17 females and 13 males. About half were born at Marineland Canada, the others were ‘wild caught’ by Russia, the oldest of which was caught in 1999 and is estimated to be around 37 years old.
ID: A Beluga mother and calf swim close together. The calf , who is light gray, is pressing their head to the mother’s lower belly where her mammary glands are. The mother, who has the snow-white coloration of an adult, has turned her head in the direction of the camera. Image by: Christopher Meder/shutterstock.com
Belugas are the only naturally all white cetacean. Their coloration is an adaptation to the cold, coastal regions in Arctic and Sub-Artic waters they are native to. The white skin allows them to blend in with the snow and ice, helping them hide from predators. They have very thick skin and layers of insulating blubber with over 40% of their weight being fat stores. Uniquely, they have a dorsal ridge instead of a fin, allowing them swim under ice without getting stuck, as well as to conserve heat. They have the same torpedo-shaped body of all cetaceans, with short, stubby pectoral fins and powerful tail flukes which they use to propel themselves through the water.
ID: An illustration of a beluga whale. Their long, rounded body is tapered at the head and tail. Their skin is white with light brown shading. Their head is small, with a bulbous forehead, a tiny black dot of an eye above the corner of their mouth. Their pectoral fins are small and close to the their neck. Their dorsal ridge forms a peak at the mid point of their body, which slopes down to a narrow tail fluke. Ilustration by Uko Gorter, copyright ©2017
Beluga females can grow to between 9 and 14 feet with males tending larger at 11 to 18 feet. Adult females can weight over 2,000 lbs and adult males over 4,000. They become sexually mature between the ages of eight and fifteen with females typically giving birth starting just after reaching maturity and giving birth to a single calf about every three years. Calves are born gray (the better to hide from predators) and age into their snow-white coloring as they come to sexual maturity. It is estimated that, in the wild, belugas can live up to 80 years.
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Fun Facts
ID: Beluga whale, swimming in blue pool water, looking head on at the camera. They are snow-white with gray shadows along the bulbs top of their head, under the neck and stubby, pectoral fins stretched out to the side. The fins have markings on the bottom edges which appear ruffly / finger like. The shape of their rostrum and jaw suggest two front teeth spaced apart with an uplift to the upper jaw as it sweeps back toward the small, black eyes. Their tail is curved to the left behind them. Photo from Wikimedia, by premier.gov.ru
🍈 Belugas have a ‘melon’ at the top of their head filled with fatty adipose tissue which they use to focus the sounds they make when they echolocate.
🙀 Belugas differ from the rest of the toothed whales, in that they change the shape of their melon, which will change the sound of their calls. (They can also change their facial muscles to ‘make faces’.)
🦄 They are also closely related to narwhals, allowing them to interbreed. The rare offsprings we know of are called Narlugas.
🌪️ I just learned that belugas are the only whales who can bend their necks. All other whales have fussed vertebrae, while the upper vertebrae in belugas are free to move about (similar to ours), allowing them to curve their necks.
A beluga at Shedd Aquarium hovering in blue water, hovers, head down, their neck bent almost like an ‘L” looking through the tank wall at a parent and child who are looking back at the beluga. A second beluga swims horizontally on their side to the right and behind the first one. Both belugas appear lit with teal / blue lights. Photo by C. Pennington 9/4/2025
Belugas on the Move!
ID: A ‘tour shirt design layout with white words on deep blue background. The words begin with: ‘Belugas* on the Move Tour 2026’ followed by all the dates and names of whales moved listed in the text below the image, followed by: ’24 belugas & 4 dolphins moved. 6 more belugas to go! *(and dolphins)’. Photo: Belugas on the Move 2026 Tour ‘shirt’ idea by S. Pennington, layout by C. Pennington August 2026
Who’s been moved so far:
July 21, 2026
Frankie (m) and Bertie Botts (m) To: SeaWorld Texas, San Antonio
Acadia (f), Osiris (f), Sierra (f) and Lillooet (f) To: Shedd Aquarium, Chicago
August 3, 2026
Xena (f), Gemini (f), Skyla (f), Meeka (f), Eve (f), Neva (f) and Calypso (f) To: SeaWorld San Antonio
August 13, 2026
Caspian (f), Pikachu* (f), Secord (f), and Rain (f) To: Shedd Aquarium, Chicago.
Zephyr (m) and Balor (m) To: Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta.
August 22, 2026
Xavier (m), Cyprus (m), and Jasper (m) To: SeaWorld San Diego
August 26, 2026
Dolphins: Echo (f), Lida (f), Marina (f), and Tsunami (f)
Belugas: Cleopatra (f) and Jelly Bean (f)
To: Oceanográfic Valencia, Spain
How to move a whale
ID: A beluga with white skin, lifts their head out of dark water. Behind them are two blue, rectangular, transport trailers, a yellow crane and many humans in hardhats and hi-viz vest. Photo by: Carlos Osorio/The Canadian Press 7/20/26
Beyond the paperwork involved in moving one whale, let alone 34, there is the enormous task of moving a water based mammal over land, sometime through the air, and finally into strange, unknown water. We know that, if we do the work correctly, the whales will be safe and sound. How do you tell that to a whale? We can’t, yet. What we can do is to make a scary process as gentle and low stressed as possible. But, the stress of the move, combined with their former living conditions can be deadly for the whales and on August 26, 2026 the female beluga Pikachu died. So far all the others are doing well.
From the moment a transfer begins the whales are never alone. They have humans they know, and many they don’t, around them, talking to them, checking their well being and adjusting any widget or strap that isn’t right. It’s a long day for everyone involved.
To even begin the transfer process the whale has be taken out of their pool and placed into something just large enough to hold them and the water they need around them. The training starts months in advance, teaching and encouraging them to go willingly into a sling. Since the slings are also used for smaller, simpler transfers, all captive cetaceans get this training early on. The slings are custom made to properly fit and protect each whale. They have openings for the whale’s head, tail, and pectoral fins plus well as padding to cushion and protect them throughout the process.
ID: A beluga in a white sling, is maneuvered by crane, toward a rectangular, blue metal tank. On and around the tank are many humans in hard hats and safety gear, some braced on the outside of the tank. Photo by: Carlos Osorio/The Canadian Press 7/20/26
Once safely in their sling, the whale is lifted out of the water by a crane and very slowly maneuvered to a specially made container. These long metal containers are open at the top. They are sealed to hold water so the whale stays hydrated and buoyant, has proper ventilation for airflow and temperature regulation, and padding to ensure the whale is supported and movement is minimized. Once all the whales in the group are loaded and all their support staff are arranged around them, often securing themselves to the containers, the caravan heads out, often in the quiet hours of the day, with police escorts.
ID: Close up of the label on one of the beluga transport tanks. It has a large white sign with the number ’13’ in black. Below this is a black sign with white lettering “Live Animals This Side Up” with large white arrows on either end pointing up. To the left is a smaller white card attached by clear tape. At the top are the words: Acadia YYZ → ORD Below, highlighted in yellow are the words: Feeding and Watering Instructions To he determined by attending veterinarians en route based upon animal's condition. Hand written on a strip of pale tape above all the signs: 4 SHEDD ACADIA SD, 13 Photo by: Carlos Osorio/The Canadian Press 7/20/26
ID: One of the transport tanks has been lifted up to the entrance of a cargo carrier airplane. Two people in yellow hi-viz vests are on and near the tank. A second tank waits on the ground below. Image: Screenshot from IG video of belugas landing in San Antonio by noaafisheries w/ footage by Seaworld
If the transfer includes air travel the trucks will drive to the airport where the containers are lifted into heavy duty cargo planes and secured in place. Because whales are very sensitive to changes in their environment everything is done to minimize movement and pressure changes, which can include modified takeoff, flight, and landing permissions. The salinity and temperature of the water in each container is checked throughout the trip and adjusted as needed to keep the whale comfortable while trainers and medical staff continuously check on each whale throughout the flight.
ID: A beluga hangs in their sling inside an open sided, black transport cart. Multiple people in hard hats and safety stand on either side and behind. One person is in a black wetsuit with the words: Shedd Aquarium. Two of the large blue transport tanks wait on the left. Photo by: Shedd Aquarium/Heidi Zeiger July 21, 2026.
ID: Two people in blue “Seaworld Rescue” t-shirts and hard hats stand with the backs to the camera. Other people in swimsuits and hard hats stand at other points around the sky blue pool filled with clear water. They are all watching a beluga (white and very faint in the center of the image) swim in a temporary pool after being transferred from their transport trailer. Photo Credit: Shedd Aquarium, July 21, 2026
When the whales arrives at arrive at the closest airport to their new facility, the process is reversed, very slowly. From plane to truck, to convoy, to the new facility. Once the trailers are at the new facility, the whales are lifted out of the trailers and lowered into custom transport carts for the shorter trip to a transitional pool. Here the team will do a hands on check of the whale’s status. When all are deemed well, they are given access to a temporary pool to acclimate. Introducing them to any whales who already call the facility home, is done on a case by case basis, based on the whale’s responses are, and the staff’s understanding of the needs and best practices for each whale.
ID: four belugas (Acadia, Osiris, Sierra, and Lillooet), swim in a light blue tank filled with clear water. In the foreground, three people face the tank, watching the whales through a clear window. The belugas are angled down, their attention toward the people and shapes on the other side of the window. Image credit: Shedd Aquarium from their website, 8/5/26
ID: Two belugas (Zephyr and Balor) swim side by side in a pale blue pool filled with clear water. Behind them is an open gate connecting two pools. Image credit: Georgia Aquarium from their Instagram post 8/13/26
The Naming of Whales
The common name “beluga" comes from Russian, belo + uga, meaning white + great or "great white”.
The latin name for beluga: Delphinapterus leucas: Delphinapterus /“dolphin without fin” and leucas / “white” means: ‘white dolphin without fin’.
Arctic Indigenous Peoples names for ‘beluga’:
Puugzaq, Siberian Yupik
Cetuaq, Central Yupik
Sisuaq, Inupiat
Qilalugaq, Inuvialuit
Spotlight: Enooyaq Sudlovenick
ID: An Indigenous woman with light skin and long dark hair, smiles at the camera. She is dressed in a dark jacket with gray fur collar/hood. Behind her is a vast white landscape that blends with low white/gray clouds Image from: enooyaqsudlovenic.com/about
Born in 1992 in Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut, Canada, Enooyaq Sudlovenick is an Inuit marine biologist with a focus on Arctic marine mammals in the Beuafort Sea and western Hudson Bay areas. With degrees in marine and freshwater biology, veterinary medicine, pathology and microbiology, Sudlovenick blends western scientific methodology with Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit or "Inuit traditional knowledge" to study the health and wellbeing of belugas and seals, species integral to Inuit culture and footways. She also speaks on Inuit traditional knowledge and working with western scientific knowledge to support and enhance research and discovery.
Sudlovenick is a researcher with Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canadais working on her PhD at the University of Manitoba researching beluga health and Inuvialuit Knowledge.
Enooyaq Sudlovenick’s About page
Science World article
And Good Whale News!
Since this whole issue is mostly good whale news, why not have some more… Here are four videos of the belugas moving and getting used to their new homes.
Shedd Aquarium YouTube
Seaward San Antonio Youtube
Seaworld San Diego Youtube
Georgia Aquarium Instagram
Thanks for joining me on this journey!
Kate
