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Marineland has issued a warning to humanely kill 30 beluga whales if Canada’s federal government does not provide economic assistance for the struggling amusement park. This ultimatum follows the recent decision by the federal minister to prohibit the export of the captive whales to a aquatic park in China.

Growing Criticism and Park’s Decline

The Ontario facility, an amusement park that also houses a wildlife exhibits, has endured increasing scrutiny over allegations that the animals are kept in substandard environments. The once-popular park, which remained closed for the summer season, is winding down its activities ahead of a potential sale. Earlier this year, legal representatives for the park stated intentions to quickly remove the surviving creatures from the premises.

Critical Issue for Activists

The future of the park’s cetaceans has long been a pressing issue for activists who contend the whales should be moved to a protected habitat—however few feasible choices are available. Records compiled by a news agency indicate that 19 belugas and one orca have perished at the park since 2019.

“Granting the application would have meant a prolonged confinement and a return to public entertainment,” the minister added.

Economic Emergency and Looming Cutoff

In an recent communication, Marineland warned that the debt-ridden park is in a “critical financial state” and lacks the resources to “provide adequate care for the whales.” The park management stated that if the federal government cannot support the park or authorize the whales’ export by October 7th, Marineland will “confront the heartbreaking choice” of putting down one of the planet’s biggest groups of confined cetaceans.

“The gravity of the funding crisis at Marineland cannot be overstated; any further delay endangers the well-being and safety of the whales, and we are concerned we are running out of time to act,” the letter states.

Official Reactions and Provincial Authority

The provincial leader, Doug Ford, announced the province will “do whatever it takes” to give the surviving animals the “best life possible,” noting the state of the park was “just terrible.”

According to regional legislation, Ontario has the authority to take custody of the whales to ensure their safety—recouping any expenses when the park is sold.

Ethical Responsibility and Activist Statements

“The park has operated for years profiting from keeping whales in poor enclosures, and is now sitting on hundreds of millions of valuable real estate in Niagara Falls. Marineland has a ethical duty to fund the future care of these animals,” Camille Labchuk, legal advocate of Animal Justice, commented in a release.

“The situation hasn’t emerged overnight,” Labchuk added. “It’s the product of decades of neglect and cruelty. Marineland’s effort to pressure the government into reversing its decision, even suggesting it may kill the whales, is reprehensible.”

Facility’s Position on Whale Welfare

Marineland earlier asserted the whales “are given far better medical attention and around-the-clock attention than any human in the United Kingdom, or globally,” and that the park, which was checked “numerous” of times a year, had specialists who “tend to the animals when they are sick and every effort to preserve their lives is made.”

The park additionally stated that for many years, “animal rights activists have attempted to link any creature’s demise with claimed mistreatment by the park looking after the animals” which was “successful as promotional material” for those groups to fundraise.