Thirty beluga whales in Canada are at risk of being euthanized. Can they be saved?

For decades, Marineland has been a destination for Canadian children and their parents who wanted an up-close look at life on the ocean near Niagara Falls.

But behind the water coasters and dolphin shows was a dark history of documented animal abuse and lingering financial problems.

Ontario Animal Welfare Services has conducted several investigations over the past few years, He has visited the park more than 200 times since 2020, according to CBC News.

Amid financial difficulties, the zoo is trying to get permission to sell 30 beluga whales to China. When their permits were denied, the park said it may have to euthanize the whales.

Now advocates, experts and officials are looking for ways to save the whales — though few agree on one solution, and some say Marineland’s threats to kill the whales are all just talk.

The massive water park, started by John and Mary Holler in 1961, is located on more than 1,000 acres (400 hectares) of prime Ontario real estate.

But what was once a beloved attraction with a catchy commercial jingle has faced increasing scrutiny for its animal care, which also included wild animals such as bears and elk.

In 2019, Canada passed a bill making it illegal to trap a whale, dolphin or porpoise.

The legislation created protections for any future animals, but not for animals already in captivity, leaving little room for federal government intervention with whales in Marineland.

Criticism of the park goes back several years, and in 2020 Animal Care Services opened an investigation into the park.

This investigation led the county animal welfare agency to announce that the entire marine life in the park was in distress due to poor water quality. The provincial government told The Canadian Press that by 2024, after investing in new technology, water quality has been improved.

But that same year, Marineland was convicted, under Ontario’s animal cruelty laws, of abusing and neglecting three young black bears that had been kept in small enclosures with insufficient water for several months.

In all, twenty whales — one killer whale and 19 belugas — have died at Marineland since 2019, according to the Canadian Press. The company said the animals were treated well and that the deaths were part of the natural life cycle.

Attendance at the park has dropped dramatically, and it is not opening to tourists this spring, as it normally would. Many assume that bankruptcy is inevitable.

“Unfortunately, they told us they were burning the furniture to heat the house,” Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati told Radio-Canada on Friday. “There is no money.”

Zoo officials say they cannot afford to continue caring for the animals, so they must find them a new home. Marineland has applied for a permit from the federal government to sell whales to an amusement park in Zhuhai, China.

But Fisheries Minister Joan Thompson said the whales would face substandard treatment as “public entertainment” at the Chinese park, and rejected Marineland’s request.

A number of organizations agreed with Thompson that a park in Zhuhai was not a suitable option.

Last week, the zoo shocked many when it informed the government that it may have to euthanize the whales. She has asked the Canadian government for funding to continue caring for the animals instead.

A letter from Marineland to the Fisheries Ministry, obtained by the BBC, said whatever happened to the animals would be a “direct result of the minister’s decision”.

This assertion was not well received by the government.

“The fact that Marineland has not planned a viable alternative despite raising these whales in captivity for many years does not place the onus on the Canadian government to make ends meet,” Thompson said in a letter to Marineland, obtained by the BBC.

The current status of the whales remains unclear. Marineland did not respond to the BBC’s request for comment.

But Phil Demers – who worked for 12 years as a senior trainer at Marineland and has since become an outspoken critic – told the BBC there were limited options, besides the one in China, which could house all 30 whales in one facility.

He believes the best scenario for the whales is any option that gets them out of Marineland quickly.

He believes that without China, the best possible outcome is for a coalition of US facilities to take a handful of whales.

“These animals should have been out of that water yesterday,” Demers said.

Others say the circumstances justify the provincial government’s intervention and confiscation of the whales.

Ontario can appoint inspectors to take over the care of animals in distress and recover costs from the facility owner, under the Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) Act.

This is the first step that many would like to see Ontario Premier Doug Ford take.

“Premier Ford needs to realize that whether he likes it or not, Ontario has primary jurisdiction over captive wildlife within provincial boundaries,” said Colin Saravanamuttu, executive director of World Animal Protection Canada. “This game of chicken between Marineland, the province and Ottawa is completely unacceptable – Premier Ford needs to step up and lead and stop passing the buck.”

Whale and Dolphin Conservation, an animal welfare organization, also wrote to Ford asking him to conduct independent veterinary evaluations of each whale “so that each individual receives a humane and compassionate outcome.”

Ford’s office did not respond to the BBC’s request for comment.

Whale and Dolphin Conservation would like to see the whales sent to a sanctuary in Nova Scotia managed by The Whale Sanctuary Project.

But there are some caveats.

Charles Vinick, CEO of the Whale Sanctuary, said the facility will not be ready until next summer and will only be able to hold eight to 10 whales.

“There is no open haven that can shelter them today or tomorrow,” he said.

For now, as options for how to save the whales continue to be debated, there is widespread confidence that Marineland’s talk of euthanasia is just talk.

“The whole threat of euthanasia is a threat,” said Mr. Demers, the former Marineland employee.

But the clock is ticking to find a solution that will give these animals a better and safer life.

“It will take more than one person or organization to provide these animals with the good life they deserve,” Mr. Vinick said.