Two more belugas dead at Marineland, bringing total whale deaths to 17 since 2019
Two more beluga whales have died at Marineland, bringing the total number of whale deaths since 2019 to 17.
Ontario's Animal Welfare Services has been investigating the Niagara Falls tourist attraction since 2020.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
"The ministry has been made aware that two beluga whales at Marineland have passed away this March," said Brent Ross, a spokesman for the Ministry of the Solicitor General, the government body responsible for animal welfare.
The province did not say how the whales died.
In a statement, Marineland said "independent necropsies confirm the two belugas both died from torsion after valiant medical efforts to assist them." Torsion refers to an abnormal twisting of the stomach.
"All the whales are under constant weekly supervision and oversight by the government regulator and cared for daily by in-house vets and numerous external consultants," Marineland's statement said.
"The reality is that all animals eventually die from one cause or another whether in the wild or captivity."
Sixteen beluga whales and one killer whale have died at the park since 2019, The Canadian Press has learned through freedom-of-information requests and other sources.
One bottlenose dolphin, one harbour seal, one grey seal and two California sea lions have also died during that time, the province has said.
Three other belugas from Marineland have died at Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut. The most recent death there occurred in December. Marineland sold five belugas to the U.S. facility and they were moved in May 2021. Mystic said the two previous beluga deaths were due to pre-existing conditions they had coming from Marineland.
The U.S. government launched an investigation after the first two beluga deaths and the probe is ongoing. The Canadian federal government has previously said it is not investigating the move.
The same week the whales were moved, Ontario's Animal Welfare Services declared all marine mammals at Marineland in distress due to poor water quality. In court documents, Marineland denied its animals were in distress and denied water played a role in any whale death.
Marineland says on its website that it has a "strong record" of providing for the welfare of its animals and will "continue to prioritize their health and well-being."
There were 37 belugas at the park last summer when The Canadian Press visited Marineland.
Twelve of the beluga deaths occurred within a two-year window. Documents obtained through freedom-of-information laws show a beluga named Ikora dying on Oct. 24, 2019, followed by 10 others and a beluga named Bull dying on Nov. 23, 2021.
The province's four-year-long investigation of Marineland remains shrouded in mystery, with officials refusing to disclose details of its probe, what it is doing at the park and how the animals died.
Solicitor General Michael Kerzner said the province's Animal Welfare Services have inspected Marineland more than 200 times since 2020.
"I'm upset to hear anything like this," he said. "Our job as a government is to make sure that our laws are followed. And we have one of the strongest laws anywhere in the country."
Phil Demers, a former Marineland trainer turned outspoken critic of the park demanded accountability and transparency.
"Marineland continues to try to hide the severity of the situation their animals are enduring, but dead whales are difficult to hide," said Demers, co-founder of UrgentSeas.
"When will there be accountability? Where is the government?"
Marineland was recently found guilty under the province’s animal cruelty laws over its care of three young black bears. The park kept three bears in cramped quarters with little access to water and no climbing structures. Sentencing is set for August.
Marineland banned a Canadian Press reporter from its property last year.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 26, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Haida elder suing Catholic Church and priest, hopes for 'healing and reconciliation'
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
Yemen's Houthi rebels claim downing U.S. Reaper drone, release footage showing wreckage of aircraft
Yemen's Houthi rebels on Saturday claimed shooting down another of the U.S. military's MQ-9 Reaper drones, airing footage of parts that corresponded to known pieces of the unmanned aircraft.
Britney Spears settles long-running legal dispute with estranged father, finally bringing ultimate end to conservatorship
Britney Spears has reached a settlement with her estranged father more than two years after the court-ordered termination of a conservatorship that had given him control of her life, their attorneys said.
Cisco reveals security breach, warns of state-sponsored spy campaign
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.