Three male beluga whales from the shuttered Marineland park in Niagara Falls, Canada, arrived at SeaWorld San Diego on Saturday, completing a 12-hour, land-and-air journey of more than 2,500 miles. The whales — Xavier, 13, and Cyprus and Jasper, both 9 — were lowered into a pool at the park's Wild Arctic area, where they will join three other belugas previously moved from Marineland, bringing the park's total to six.
The three whales were transported in a Qatar Airways Boeing 777 cargo plane, part of an operation that involved months of planning and dozens of animal care experts from both the S. and Canada. The move was dubbed a rescue by participating institutions because the whales no longer had an aquarium to call home after Marineland, an animal theme park in Niagara Falls, closed in 2024.
"Their whole world flipped upside down," said Cindie Sweitzer, a senior zoological specialist at SeaWorld San Diego. "They'd lived their entire lives at Marineland. We want to give them time to acclimate to their new surroundings."
The effort was coordinated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which entered into an agreement with SeaWorld parks in San Diego and San Antonio, the John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, and Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta for the transport of the whales. Of the 30 whales at Marineland that were at risk of being euthanized if not relocated, SeaWorld is receiving the largest share.
Eric Otjen, vice president of zoological operations at SeaWorld San Diego, said in a statement that the collaboration of multiple aquariums and two countries rescuing 30 whales in a short period is unprecedented. He added that the rescue classification stems from the fact that the whales don't have a place to live, not because their health was in doubt.
"Our immediate focus is on Xavier, Cyprus, and Jasper's health and wellbeing," Otjen said. Park officials said they do not yet know when the whales will be introduced to the public.
Broader relocation effort
The arrival of the three whales is part of a larger ongoing relocation effort. Marineland, which is up for sale and has said it is running out of money and can no longer afford to care for its animals, has been transferring its whales and dolphins to facilities across North America and Europe.
According to The Canadian Press, once the last six belugas leave Marineland — destined for two aquariums in the United States — the park will have shipped 30 belugas and four dolphins over six moves to five different aquariums, in what is described as the largest collective relocation of captive whales the world has ever seen. The animals have been moved to Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, SeaWorld locations in San Diego and San Antonio, Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, and Oceanogràfic València in Spain.
Canada banned whale and dolphin captivity in 2019 but grandfathered in the animals at Marineland. The federal government previously blocked a plan to move the whales to an aquarium in China, which prompted Marineland to threaten to euthanize its belugas and whales unless it received an emergency cash infusion.
The relocation has not been without challenges. On Wednesday, four dolphins and two beluga whales were moved from Marineland to Oceanogràfic València, including the last beluga females in captivity in Canada. The move went smoothly, according to Andrew Burns, Marineland's adviser, who said the belugas "got loaded very easily and very quickly."
However, staff at both Marineland and Shedd Aquarium in Chicago were saddened by the death of Peekachu, a 23-year-old beluga that had been shipped to the S. two weeks earlier. Peekachu passed away suddenly Tuesday evening after blood work indicated she was dehydrated, according to Johnny Ford, a Shedd spokesperson. A necropsy will be performed. Marineland said in a statement it was "deeply saddened" to learn of the death.
Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson called the death difficult news but expressed confidence in the care the whales are receiving. Six belugas remain at Marineland, and officials said they are also soon set to go to the United States.
The park's animals have struggled in recent years, with one killer whale, 19 belugas, and one dolphin having died there since 2019, according to a report by CP24. Along with the remaining belugas, several hundred deer still live at the park.