A Beluga Whale & Dolphin Have Reportedly Died At MarineLand Canada Following The Recent Passing Of Beloved Orca, Kiska

Only weeks away from opening for another season, there are reports that a beluga whale and a dolphin have died at MarineLand in Ontario, Canada. The news was sadly confirmed yesterday by the Ministry of the Solicitor General.

“It is deeply disturbing to hear reports that a beluga whale and dolphin are the latest animals to die at MarineLand,” Michèle Hamers, Wildlife Campaign Manager for World Animal Protection, said in a statement. “It raises many questions around the state of care and reinforces ongoing concerns around the well-being of the rest of the animals at the facility.”

World Animal Protection has long raised concerns over the activities at this underregulated facility and the lack of regulations in Ontario. Kiska, MarineLand’s last living orca, died less than two months ago. As recently as last year, World Animal Protection found that MarineLand was seemingly continuing to exploit the animals at its facility, including dolphins, which is illegal under Canada’s Criminal Code.

MarineLand was previously charged for using captive dolphins in performances for so-called “entertainment” purposes. Those charges were paused in December, due largely to backlogs in Ontario’s criminal justice system.

Animal welfare and captivity in Canada falls under both federal and provincial jurisdiction.

MarineLand, like so many other underregulated facilities in Ontario, continues to dodge accountability because of Ontario’s weak animal welfare enforcement. As a result, there is a culture of noncompliance with what little regulations exist in the province.

“Given the high number of animal deaths and MarineLand’s poor track record, the province should conduct a comprehensive investigation into the cause of death and the conditions the remaining animals are kept in,” continued Hamers. “We are calling on Ontario’s Solicitor General Michael Kerzner to urgently implement stronger regulations and enforcement to protect the health and welfare of the remaining animals at MarineLand, as well as in other underregulated zoos and facilities across Ontario before more animals suffer and someone gets hurt.”

World Animal Protection has been urging the Ontario government to pass stronger regulations and improve enforcement for decades.

There is no reason for animals like the ones held in captivity at MarineLand to be kept in this country for “entertainment” purposes. World Animal Protection applauds the work underway in Canada’s Senate with Bill S-241, the Jane Goodall Act, which would protect many more species from being used for entertainment in Canada.