Marine park threatens to euthanize 30 whales if Canada does not provide funding

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/oct/06/canada-marineland-beluga-whales

110 points · 32 comments · view on lemmy.world

32 Comments

Fiivemacs@lemmy.ca · 48 pts · 318d (8 replies)

fuck off, if you open a zoo or marine park knowing you can't afford it, you deserve to be euthanized instead.

corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca · 33 pts · 318d (7 replies)

You missed the point: this was a transfer of live animals as part of an orderly shutdown of a decades-old park that was wildly successful in its time. Without the rmtransfer the animals will either starve or be euthanized.

These animals cannot be released or they'll be dead in no time.

The official blocking the removal of the animals to a new habitat simply doesn't understand that there is no life for these animals outside a proper enclosure.

Marineland became dicks. But this is them being least-bad. Let them shut down as best as possible, or it's Whale Stew for weeks.

FireRetardant@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 318d (1 reply)

It could be argued that finding a new home for them is worse in the long run as it has more potential to prolong abuse and captivity of whales. If the new home loosens their standards and started abusing the whales, new whales could be brought in and abused as the older ones pass away. Euthanasing could bring an end to that cycle, although none of options here are particularly good.

Auli@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 317d

Or these get euthanized and new ones are caught where they where going to do. Is the most likely outcome.

BCsven@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 317d

Someonen else linked a link where they can be rehabited, probably too much cost for the shitty park

GrindingGears@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 317d

Everyone is screaming about the treatment (and I mean justifiable), but no one is willing to offer an actual solution. I ain't an expert on the topic of Beluga whales, but I mean if a wild release was possible and the best solution, why aren't these people getting involved then? Likely because it's maybe not the best solution.

So that leaves the government of Ontario to step in, and OK, but problem remains the same. All these supposed sanctuaries that people want them to live in, again, where are they and why aren't they stepping in? Because such a thing might not exist.

Would love to be totally wrong here, but this has the makings of a boondoggle.

Cort@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 318d (2 replies)

What would take longer to kill them, starving or the allegedly guaranteed death from releasing them?

Seems to me that they'd stand a better chance in the wild compared to being left in a tank to starve.

npcknapsack@lemmy.ca · 5 pts · 317d

I think this is the argument people give for abandoning their pet dogs in the countryside. We all know the dogs never stand a better chance. I doubt the whales would either.

Auli@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 317d

Just euthanize them it is much more humane. Or you think releasing them and having them starve is humane?

wildbus8979@sh.itjust.works · 39 pts · 318d

🎶 Everyone haaaaaaaates Marineland 🎶

Bebopalouie@lemmy.ca · 32 pts · 318d (13 replies)

Fuck them.

Seize marineland and all their assets. Use the funds to transport them back to the wild. If not enough $ then run a fund to help and govt cover whatever is needed to finish the job.

Lemmyoutofhere@lemmy.ca · 12 pts · 318d (12 replies)

They can never be released in the wild.

Bebopalouie@lemmy.ca · -3 pts · 318d (11 replies)

Maybe a ocean area blocked off and they get retrained and released.

Edit seems they can

https://savedolphins.eii.org/campaigns/fow

robocall@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 317d (10 replies)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keiko_(orca)

They tried this with the whale from Free Willy, and the whale failed to adapt to the wild before dying.

Bebopalouie@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 317d (9 replies)

That was a Hollywood movie.

https://savedolphins.eii.org/campaigns/fow

DoPeopleLookHere@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 317d (7 replies)

Love how your source doesn't actually say the orca released only lived a little while before dying

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna3700297

Bebopalouie@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 317d (6 replies)

It shows hope for the future. It would be bleaker if we did not keep trying. The alternative is life in a cement jail.

DoPeopleLookHere@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 317d

Does it?

It shows dying early deaths. Is that better than a life in a (better) captive place?

DoPeopleLookHere@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 317d
[ removed ]
DerisionConsulting@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 317d

They tried, in real life, with the animal that was cast as the character in the movie.

fartographer@lemmy.world · 21 pts · 318d

This is the strangest hostage movie ever

Greg@lemmy.ca · 7 pts · 318d (4 replies)

Whale what's the porpoise of euthanizing them when they can just release them into the Niagara river near the park and let the falls do the work?

HertzDentalBar@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 8 pts · 318d (3 replies)

Shit, you have something there bud.

Greg@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 318d (2 replies)

I do seriously wonder when marine mammals will end up the Great Lakes. Like a seal population in the 1000 islands might be a thing our lifetime given climate change

bradv@lemmy.ca · 5 pts · 318d (1 reply)

Climate change is going to make the Great Lakes saltwater?

Greg@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 318d

There are freshwater subspecies of harbour seals

CircaV@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 317d

Euthanize the owners.

DoGeeseSeeGod@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 1 pts · 317d

Jacob look at what you did! https://m.youtube.com/shorts/tpH9bWkVcuY

ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 317d

Sucks but it’s way better than forcing them to live in Marineland