More whales at Niagara Falls’ Marineland will die without urgent action, expert says

With 31 beluga whales believed to still be living at Marineland in Niagara Falls, the sheer number has advocates saying there is no one place able to accept them all.

After the whale death toll rose again recently, experts say whatever is done must be done urgently before more of the whales die.

“We’re at the point where we need to work together: Marineland, the government, NGOs (non-governmental organizations),” said Charles Vinick, the CEO of the Whale Sanctuary Project.

Vinick is the man who led the effort to free the orca whale Keiko — from the Free Willy films — who says a joint effort is the only way to save the belugas at Marineland.

His yet-to-be-constructed ocean whale sanctuary could be part of the solution, large enough to become home to about eight of the whales.

“We certainly think our sanctuary is an ideal location for them,” said Vinick.

If completed, the sanctuary will provide 100 acres of netted ocean enclosure, with depths up to 18 metres on the coast near Port Hilford, N.S.

But the project has been in the works for years, and the Nova Scotia government says it will only approve a Crown lease of the site if neighbouring landowners consent to the sanctuary.

Vinick says the project is making progress on convincing landowners and securing necessary approvals from the government, but wouldn’t give CHCH News specific details.

“Things are moving very well with that, but it is not a definitive answer at this stage,” said Vinick.

He said if all were resolved today, whales could start living there next summer.

“They don’t have permission from the landowners,” said Phil Demers, the director at UrgentSeas and a former Marineland animal trainer. “The landowners don’t want this project, and that makes it a non-starter to begin with.”

Demers says Marineland’s whales need help immediately, and can’t wait for the sanctuary to be built.

WATCH MORE: Another beluga and a seal die at Niagara Falls’ Marineland

19 belugas and an orca have died at the park since 2019.

“If those animals aren’t removed over the next three years, there won’t be any left,” said Demers.

Demers said the best option is to transfer some of the whales to existing marine parks in the U.S. where he says conditions would be better than at Marineland.

“Creating a coalition of facilities in the U.S. ready to receive the animals in the event the government were to, for instance, seize and take possession of those animals — that’s something that’s viable and possible and I think that’s a conversation these U.S. facilities would engage with,” said Demers.

But Demers says his research suggested there is only room for about 12 total, across all potential American parks, meaning others would have to go to parks overseas.

Something World Animal Protection is hoping the federal government will avoid.

“We are advocating that they use the full extent of the law to not approve permits that would send these whales to another country, where they could be bred for shows and entertainment,” said Melissa Matlow with World Animal Protection.

When asked if the province would consider seizing Marineland’s animals, the provincial government told CHCH News that moving the whales is complicated, and there is no real alternative facility.

CHCH News is waiting to hear back from Marineland’s lawyer about a request for information on the recent deaths, and it is also waiting on the Ministry of the Solicitor General for more information on their investigations into the park.

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