The question of what to do with animals in captivity is a sticky one, but the answer might’ve come into a little better focus with the approval of Canada’s first-ever whale sanctuary.
In recent months, Canada’s Marineland has found itself in a bind. The zoo/park in Niagara Falls, Ontario recently closed, but just because the doors are shut doesn’t mean the animals within just vanish. They can’t really be dumped in the ocean because they’d likely die — animals born in captivity never have the chance to learn how to live in the wild. Canada’s Marineland doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to keeping their animals happy and healthy – you’d be hard pressed to find a place that uses animals for our entertainment that has a good one – and according to a database created by The Canadian Press, 20 whales (an orca and 19 belugas) have died at the tourist attraction since 2019.
Marineland officials wanted to send 30 beluga whales they had on site to China, but the Canadian government shut that down quickly.
“I could not in good conscience approve an export that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have endured,” said Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson. “To approve the request would have meant a continued life in captivity and a return to public entertainment.”
Next, the park asked for money to keep the whales in good care, but the request was denied too because Thompson is of the opinion that Marinland’s issue shouldn’t mean the Canadian government should have to shell out for the whales’ care. Then, the park, feeling a bit over a barrel, told the press that they were out of options and would likely have to euthanize the whales, an idea that didn’t go over all that well with the public when it hit the news wire. Which is why the announcement of a whale sanctuary off the coast of Nova Scotia is such a boon.
“This historic project will transform a natural cove on Nova Scotia’s eastern shore into a refuge 100 times larger than Marineland’s tanks,” wrote Animal Justice. “The whales will be able to swim in real ocean water, feel the rhythms of tides and seasons, and explore a natural environment while still receiving the human care they need to survive.”
Canada banned whale and dolphin captivity in 2019, which was a roundly approved of move, unless you’re one of those callous types who thinks that — and I quote from an email I received after writing this — “Animals are wild in nature, and if they can be tamed to entertain human beings, then all glory should go to the animals and tamers.”
The author of that email went on to state that “In general, animals should be used for the purpose of benefitting human beings. At Marineland, there should be less consideration of the environment of the aquatic animal and more focus on discipline, and an appreciation of the aquatic animal’s need to please humans with synchronized shows and glorious spectacles.”
That was a real email from a real person, if you can believe it. Anyway, the sanctuary has been in the works for a long time now, but with the approval, construction can begin right away. The brainchild of the Whale Sanctuary Project, it’s a permanent, safe home for animals that have nowhere else to go. It will be be located in Port Hilford Bay, on Nova Scotia’s eastern shore.
As of this writing, the sanctuary is expected to open as soon as summer 2026, but construction is generally not the most exact science. Once it’s open, the Ontario goverment will work with the federal government to place as many of the belugas as possible in it. If they all can’t go to sanctuaries, the remaining whales could be moved to aquariums that promise not to breed them or force them to perform.
“This is truly a day of celebration,” said Kaitlyn Mitchell, director of legal advocacy at Animal Justice. “This sanctuary finally offers a real path to freedom for many of Canada’s last remaining captive whales. It’s a dignified place where these intelligent, social animals will have a chance to live out their lives in peace, in the ocean where they belong. With this sanctuary, Canada has an opportunity to demonstrate global leadership in compassionate, science-based care for whales retired from captivity.”
