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The Canadian government just denied the sale of 30 beluga whales to a Chinese marine park. As the CBC reports, the proposed deal is part of ailing marine park Marineland Canada’s attempts to offload the 30 beluga whales that remain in captivity at the park. In the wake of the decision, the animals’ fate remains uncertain.
The proposed sale was to the Chinese theme park Chimelong Ocean Kingdom. However, the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) refused a request, on the grounds that it went against regulations in the Fisheries Act intended to protect marine mammals from exploitation.
Per the 2019 Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act, cetaceans are banned from being kept in captivity (with the exception of animals that were already in captivity prior to the act). Exporting the animals requires a special federal permit.
“To approve the request would have meant a continued life in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” said DFO Minister Joanne Thompson.
“Like many of you, I am angered that these whales have lived a life of captivity and as a result their health has deteriorated,” she added. “Canadians expect me to act in the best interest of the whales. Under difficult circumstances with regrettable outcomes, that is what I have done.”
Marineland, an amusement park, zoo and aquarium in Niagara Falls, has long been facing financial and operational troubles. Twenty whales have died at the park since 2019, as The Guardian reports. Of those animals, 19 were belugas, and one was a killer whale. According to the CBC, the facility is no longer operational, and is set to file for bankruptcy in the wake of the decision.
