CHICAGO (AP) — A third beluga has died at a Chicago aquarium after being rescued this summer from a shuttered Canadian marine park in a complex international operation that moved 30 whales to aquariums in the U.S. and Spain. Osiris, a 26-year-old female whale, died on Monday, Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium said in a statement. The […]

CHICAGO (AP) — Two more beluga whales have died at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, including one that was rehomed at the facility just weeks earlier as part of an international effort to rescue Canada’s last captive whales, the aquarium announced Wednesday. Rain, a 20-year-old female, was the second to die out of a group of four […]

CHICAGO (AP) — A beluga whale died days after it was transported hundreds of miles to a Chicago aquarium from a shuttered Ontario park as part of an ongoing effort to rescue Canada’s last captive whales. The whale, a 23-year-old female named Peekachu, died suddenly Tuesday as caretakers tried to rehydrate her, Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium […]

A large, dark wound protrudes from the side of the deer’s head, stretching from the base of its antler toward its ear. The animal’s big, dark eyes reflect a weary helplessness.  That’s the hauntingly “heartbreaking” image that stared back at animal rights lawyer Kaitlyn Mitchell from her computer screen after a Marineland employee reached out […]

Ottawa has endorsed a plan to move Canada’s last remaining captive whales to aquariums in the U.S. and Spain. There are 30 belugas and four dolphins at Marineland, the shuttered theme park in Niagara Falls, Ont., that still face mass euthanasia should the deal fall through. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has issued the […]

Organizers behind a plan to establish North America’s first coastal refuge for captive whales say the Nova Scotia government has granted them approval to start construction on the province’s eastern shore. The U.S.-based Whale Sanctuary Project announced Tuesday that Premier Tim Houston’s cabinet had granted the organization a 20-year lease for 83 hectares of Crown […]

Marineland’s crumbling infrastructure, staffing shortage and lack of resources have created dangerous conditions for its belugas and they should be moved immediately, a fired beluga trainer says. Kristy Burgess, who worked at the Niagara Falls, Ont., park when a young beluga was put down in February, said Marineland’s threat to euthanize all 30 of its […]

Marineland says it has more than a dozen reasons why none of its remaining 30 belugas should be sent to a proposed whale sanctuary in Nova Scotia. The shuttered Ontario theme park, which is trying to sell the whales to avoid bankruptcy, made headlines last week when Federal Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson denied Marineland’s request […]

Marineland says it is “profoundly” disappointed by the federal government’s decision to deny its request to ship 30 belugas to China and the park has “no ability to pay” for their care — with sources adding that means euthanasia is a real possibility. Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson announced Wednesday morning the federal government would not […]

Sunday, September 1st will mark the final day of the 2024 season for Marineland, the Niagara Falls theme park that has arguably been the second most noteworthy attraction in the municipality, only surpassed by the famous cataracts that give the city its name.  With dwindling attendance, persistent protests from animal rights activists and what the […]