It doesn’t appear that Ottawa is going to provide financial aid to Marineland for the care of 30 beluga whales. The now defunct marine amusement park has said if it doesn’t get a commitment for financial help by Tuesday, Oct. 7, it would have to start euthanizing the whales.
Canada’s fisheries minister Joanne Thompson says Marineland’s request for emergency money from Ottawa is inappropriate.
Marineland says it is running out of money to feed and care for the whales and needs cash urgently. This comes after Ottawa denied an export permit to allow the amusement park to send the whales to an aquarium in China.MarineLand gave a deadline of Oct. 7 for a response, but on Monday Thompson said Marineland is accountable. She suggested the Ontario government step in.
“Frankly, MarineLand is responsible for the care of the belugas.They’ve been in their care for quite some time,” she said. “And the province of Ontario has a role here to ensure that the belugas are well maintained and cared for.”
But Marineland says it has no other options for the whales. A proposed whale sanctuary in Nova Scotia is not yet operational, and the Niagara Falls, Ontario, tourist attraction said euthanasia of the belugas would be a direct consequence of Ottawa’s decision to deny the permits for export to China.
Meanwhile, animal rights groups are condemning Marineland’s threat to euthanize the belugas.World Animal Protection Canada is asking the Ontario government to intervene and seize the whales.
It’s Wildlife Campaign Manager, Erin Ryan, stated it is morally reprehensible for Marineland to hold Ottawa hostage for making what she says is essentially the right decision.
