A controversial marine theme park is officially selling all of its whales – if it can get permission to do so.Public opinion has shifted sharply against parks that keep marine mammals in captivity in recent years. The 2013 documentary Blackfish drew worldwide attention to the conditions of captive orcas at SeaWorld and triggered lasting backlash. Since then, scrutiny of aquariums and theme parks housing dolphins, whales, and porpoises has only grown louder.Credit: ANDR3W A, FlickrMarineland is one of these theme parks. The park ended operations following its 2024 summer season and placed its Niagara Falls property on the market. The company has also begun dismantling its amusement rides. Now attention has shifted to the animals left behind, including the park’s 30 beluga whales.According to the CBC, Marineland has submitted an application to export all of its belugas. Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, a theme park in China, has acknowledged interest in acquiring them. The potential sale, however, would only be possible with approval from Canada’s minister of fisheries.This follows a string of whale deaths at the theme park.Credit: lezumbalaberenjena, FlickrSince 2019, 19 belugas have died at Marineland. Ontario’s Solicitor General’s Office reported that inspectors have visited the property over 220 times since 2020 to check on the welfare of the animals. Until 2023, the park also maintained walruses and orcas, though none remain today.Kiska, Marineland’s last orca, died of a bacterial infection in 2023, ending the park’s killer whale program and bringing the death toll in recent years to 20.Former employees and activists have accused Marineland of systemic neglect. In 2021, the province directed Marineland to improve its water systems. The company rejected any claim that water issues contributed to beluga deaths.Several fatalities drew particular outrage. An orca known as Kanuck apparently died in an indoor pool known as “the warehouse,” while another whale allegedly drowned in 1992.Credit: Marineland of CanadaPushback From Animal Rights GroupsWorld Animal Protection Canada has criticized the plan, describing it as a reckless disposal of living creatures. “Belugas are not commodities. The risk of them being auctioned off to the highest bidder—possibly shipped overseas to facilities with equally low standards and continually bred for the animal entertainment industry—is real, and it’s unacceptable,” said executive director Colin Saravanamuttoo.The organization is calling for the federal government to move faster on establishing a planned seaside sanctuary in Nova Scotia that could provide long-term care for retired captive whales. It has also urged Ontario Premier Doug Ford to clarify what oversight the province currently has over Marineland.Once promoted as a family attraction where guests could watch orcas and dolphins perform, Marineland has faced intensifying criticism for more than a decade. In 2019, the federal government enacted Bill S-203, which prohibited the breeding or display of cetaceans for entertainment purposes. That same year marked the beginning of a wave of beluga deaths at the facility.Credit: Marineland of CanadaThe pandemic further weakened the park by slashing visitor numbers. Meanwhile, attitudes toward keeping large marine mammals in small tanks continued to shift, with many Canadians describing the practice as cruel rather than educational.What Happens Next?On its website, Marineland continues to describe itself as an aquarium, zoo, and amusement park that prioritizes conservation. Critics remain unconvinced, citing years of animal deaths and ongoing welfare concerns.Whether the federal government approves Marineland’s request to export the whales will determine what happens next. For now, the future of 30 belugas still swimming in tanks at Niagara Falls remains uncertain.Have you ever visited Marineland of Canada?The post Controversial Theme Park Officially Selling All Whales After 20 Deaths appeared first on Inside the Magic.