Releasing Marineland’s belugas into the wild beats the alternative
Fate of 30 whales in wild would be uncertain but better than putting them down
A beluga whale swims in a tank at Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ont., in a 2023 photo provided by World Animal Protection. The financially troubled amusement park says it will be forced to euthanize its 30 belugas unless it receives government financial support because it can’t afford to keep them any longer. (Photo courtesy of World Animal Protection)
Life in the state of nature is “nasty, brutish and short,” according to English philosopher Thomas Hobbes.
That’s why 30 captive-born beluga whales at the Marineland amusement park in Niagara Falls, Ont., should be set free — maybe in Canada’s northern waters — rather than be put down like a sick, old dog.
For weeks, people around the world have been captivated by the plight of the last whales living at the financially troubled tourist attraction that says it can no longer afford to keep them.
Canadians’ values have shifted and people have lost interest in packing up the family and driving across the country to see whales swim around in a fish bowl.
A news story by our Nunavik reporter Dominique Gené exploring the possibility of moving the whales is one of the most widely read Nunatsiaq News articles of the year. As of Thursday, more than 36,000 people had clicked on it — two-thirds the combined population of Nunavut and Nunavik.
Jason Etok, an Inuk man originally from Nunavik, wrote to Nunatsiaq News last week, suggesting the whales — that were bred in captivity — be relocated to the waters of Hudson Bay, Ungava Bay or the Gulf of St. Lawrence, belugas’ natural habitat.
A long shot? Definitely. Impossible? No, according to the director of the Nunavik Marine Region Wildlife Board.
Hopefully it’s not too late by the time you read this to bolster the case of Etok’s idea.
The argument against releasing the whales is that they wouldn’t survive because they were born in captivity. All their lives, thy’ve been in a tiny concrete tank, surrounded by people who could reach out and pet them, and having food supplied by human trainers.
Maybe it’s an overly simple idea, but if the belugas were released, they would at least have a chance at survival.
Activists say it’s inhumane to keep whales in captivity because they are highly intelligent animals. If they’re that intelligent, who’s to say that they wouldn’t be able to adapt to the change of living in the wild?
If they die in the wild, well … a lot of animals don’t survive in the wild, where life can be nasty, brutish and short. If they’re left at Marineland, their certain deaths appear to be imminent.
Someone should ask the whales about the choice between being euthanized or taking their chances on being released into the wild and having to fend for themselves.
Another argument against releasing the whales is that they would be vulnerable to predators, including, possibly, Inuit hunters. Again … life can be nasty, brutish and short.
The biggest argument against relocating the whales is the cost. Marineland pleaded for the federal government to pick up the bill for taking care of the whales for the rest of their natural lives. Ottawa said Marineland is a private business; the cost is its problem.
No question Marineland has botched the handling of its belugas. But the government comes to the aid of other private companies when they go belly up and can’t afford to take care of loose ends as they wind down.
Inuit organizations that Etok said could lead a solution (think Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Makivvik Corp., or Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.) have deep pockets. Chipping in on the relocation of Marineland’s belugas could be Inuit-led lessons to all Canadians about the respect for wildlife and that life doesn’t have to be nasty, brutish and short.
They have to be released. Their situation is a disgrace to all concerned.
Give the whales a chance in the north!
Can you imagine how they would feel in open water. The sensation of endless space and swimming fast and freely for the first time in their lives!! However long they survived in the wild, that time would be spent free and in utter joy. Please set them free. They’re toys or things, they are sentient, sacred beings.
I meant “They are NOT toys or things. They are sacred, sentient beings”
I am almost 70…seen a lot of things….zoos are the worst.
All these belugas trapped..
Let them go to their own fate in the free oceans.
WAY better than put them down and use for cat food.
Release them. If they die by hunting or by predators so be it. They have a chance to be free.
They will starve or be torn apart . Best to humanly euthanize . That will never survive but suffer a horrible death .
I agree with letting them go back in the wild. They live as a pod already, they will adapt and protect themselves and their pod. I do not beleive that they should be euthanized. I’m sorry, but, they didn’t jump on the boat to be captured so the world can visit them at Marineland, that was not their choice!! They need to be set free, they are wild and they are a family that will stick together and protect each other, so why wouldn’t they survive again in the wild, together?? This is so shameful and wrong, and animal has to suffer for pleasures of the world, to see up close, but then when not needed……kill them!!! I do not agree and feel that they need to be let go, just like FREE WILLY!!! Let them live a normal life, and atleast if they do die,the died in the wild and not by human hands, where they should be. Totally appalled and very disappointed in our government, and especially Marineland for not helping the animals that have made them all rich. Bring the Belugas home!!!
100%, release them.
Marineland should pay to transport them.
They deserve to be free!
So you support another experiment on Inuit eh. Shame on you for not thinking about us.
We, Inuit heavily rely on eating wild beluga to survive , releasing these 30 captive animals into the wild could put the 70-90,000 wild belugas in danger from pathogens and contaminants could potentially change their migration patterns.
I cannot believe people are still prosing and supporting on experimenting Inuit.
Free the beluga’s !! They are probably smarter than most humans for goodness sake !! Born in captivity or not… at least give them a fighting chance to live ..to be free ..for the rest of their lives !!! 🙏
Let this be a lesson – no wales should be in captivity. Leave them alone, we don’t need to see them in small tanks doing tricks for us. Release them immediately.
Free the belugas it’s a no brainer. At least they will have a chance. Other animals are released and do fine. Belugas are very smart so let’s give them a chance it’s better than the alternative.
Even though the whales will die anyway (be that in a week or a decade) in the wild, at least they’ll be part of the ecosystem again. If they are euthanized their bodies will be treated as waste.
Governments come to the aid of banks who are just greedy people but these greedy people have votes. The whales don’t have votes sothey don’t count. It doesn’t matter what country you’re from, politicians aren’t worth the air they breathe. Give the beautiful whales a chance
I completely agree. Whatever time they spent in the open ocean would be the ultimate joy . They would be able to swim free and fast in unlimited space for the first time in their lives.
I think definitely they should be released into the wild. If I was captured and put in jail for my life I would definitely want to be free even with whatever the circumstance, for that moment of freedom is worth living for. Set them free!
I too think release the belugas into a natural habitat. They are smart. They can learn from other belugas in the wild. The can follow their instincts. Why move them from one prison sentence to another? I bet they would be the happiest ever being set free, even if only short lived. Can’t be worse than being euthanized or being held captive in limited space.
These whales have no idea what the wild is..They will either freeze,starve or get hit by big ships.I think Marineland should have to pay for their care until they die.Learn a lesson about keeping marine wildlife in captivity and not do it again..There are consequences to choices we make..They could attempt to prepare them for the wild..
They HAVE been paying for their care… but with the park closed and no money coming in from admissions, how are.they supposed to continue doing so?
Marineland has profited from breeding and displaying these animals for decades. Public opinion has changed but for many, keeping whales in captivity has never been ok. Marineland should foot the bill to ensure the best future welfare for these animals. As for just releasing them, anyone with an opinion on that should make sure it’s an educated opinion. It’s clear that successful releases are complex projects that require long periods of retraining so that the released animals have the best chance of survival. If there are so many globally concerned people, someone should start a gofundme campaign. Anyone who visited marineland is in part complicit in keeping and breeding these animals…
Exactly everyone says free them let them swim free ,they will be petrified probably won’t last a week there are no walls around them just a big dark ocean with many dangers .the story is just heartbreaking and all for money
I believe the whales should be prepared for release and given the opportunity of freedom. Life can be harsh in the wild but at least they would be free.
God created animals with “instincts” so they would absolutely know how to live in the wild and survive and thrive, especially if they are released in the St.Lawrence River where other wild belugas are living .
Yes release them in the Saint Lawrence
Imagine if we paid this much attention to the foster care system with human children.
I read the post before this and there were over a hundred comments trying to protect the whales.
The babies and children in foster care system should also get a fighting chance. Like the rich folks and animal lovers said that the whales deserve the best remaining life and never chose to be in a big tank. Same with the human babies and children/youth who never chose the lifestyle but we remain silent. But as soon as animals are involved, everyone is an expert and ready to do “Go Fundme” but not for lil human beings
Nah. I love animals WAY more than I love people. I could spend the rest of my life socializing with animals but cringe at the thought of going anywhere with people. Fact is, people put those beautiful whales in that awful place, a concrete box and now they need to get them out!
You’re absolutely right, but the difference is, it costs none of us anything to say “save the whales” as no one is asking us to have a part in the solution. With children, the problem is people are unwilling to step up and sacrifice to take children in as their own. If the whales required an equal sacrifice to that there would be silence as well.
Thought about this and agree the belugas should be freed and placed back in the wild. Of course the right decision will not be made by the dei wokist zealots who masquerade as better able to make decisions than any one else. Self righteous they are.
Absolutely BRILLIANT idea!!! Please give fhe Belugas a chance 🙏
Free Willy!
Please Goverment of Canada help these magnificent animals. Take the whales away from marineland as the care they are provinding to the whalea is no acceptable, and It’s consider animal cruelty.
Legal action should be taken under the circumstances. Make a bigger tank for them, because releasing them into the wild is giving them the death sentence that they don’t deserve. They are going to atract Inuit hunters and they are going to kill them. Belugas whales only know human being interaction and they will get close to them thinking that they are going to give them food or per them and they are going to die in the worst way ,please help them the last whales in Canada you’ll be the heroes for people, and for sure you will gain more votes in the future giving the whales the best care.
Please Goverment of Canada help these magnificent animals. Take the whales away from marineland as the care they are provinding to the whales is no acceptable, and It’s consider animal cruelty.
Legal action should be taken under the circumstances. Make a bigger tank for them, because releasing them into the wild is giving them the death sentence that they don’t deserve. They are going to atract Inuit hunters and they are going to kill them. Belugas whales only know human being interaction and they will get close to them thinking that they are going to give them food or pet them and they are going to die in the worst way ,please help them the last whales in Canada you’ll be the heroes for people, and for sure you will gain more votes in the future giving the whales the best care.
Of the two options being presented, I think release is the most humane. I am not a marine biologist and I would be very interested to hear what a marine biologist would think about the options. Is there a possibility where the belugas could be released into an area that is safer for them than say, another area? I do not understand why the government won’t give his intelligent creatures a fighting chance since the facility has given up on them. Threatening euthanasia is inhumane. The government helps bail out those in many fields that we would as the general public, think twice about. I don’t see why they cannot be a concerted effort between all the parties involved (including the government) and with the addition of people who are knowledgable about these beautiful animals. I know that I’m rambling, but I cannot, in good conscience. Let this goodbye without putting my thoughts down on this really important issue. (and I am aware that as human beings we should be looking after other human beings better than we do).
Euthanasia is disgusting for no reason is inhumane yes. BUT it is also Inhumane to do it to humans through MAIDS . Lets talk about the 400 ostriches in BC that the CFIA wants to shoot in the head. CRUEL.
Some of the arguments with killer whales have always been the acceptance into a pod due to different communication dialects.
Not sure how that works with belugas, but if there are 30 of them would they not form a pod?and with that said would they not stay together for protection? And hunting?
Also, most of our St.Lawrence Belugas are contaminated from industry run off so introducing them into the St. Lawrence may not me the best idea but into Hudson Bay may be better. Why not create a sanctuary as we do for reefs and limit boat traffic through that area. There is a lot that could be done but it involves taking chances and risk. If the alternative is euthanasia, I say give them a chance and let’s see what happens. Some humans survive in the wild when lost in the woods. They learn to survive. Whales are smart, start releasing live fish in their tanks and see if they will hunt them.
The idea of euthanasia of 30 healthy animals is truly awful. The idea of starving to death because of a lack of preparation is an also truly awful thought. Marineland was shut down so of course they have no funds for care because no money is coming in. What is needed is a temporary “soft release” facility (sea pen)in the waters where they are to be released so they can acclimate. They should also be provisioned as long as need be, post release.
So who is going to fund it?
Please release the whales, they are loving and precious 💖 wonderful animals. Its better to give them any chance at life. They are intelligent and they need our help. Please 🙏 We are asking the Government to care about these precious animals and help. Maybe also ask for donations at the grocery stores or any other way. They deserve to live, its awful and inhumane to think otherwise.
I wonder if it is worth considering relocating these belugas into Tadoussac, Quebec, where there is the only population of non-migratory belugas in Canada. This population faces genetic disorders due to inbreeding (since they do not migrate). Integrating these belugas could help bolster genetic diversity among the current belugas there and perhaps give this captive bred group a better chance at survival.
This is one of the truly smart way to go. They do need to be released and your option gives the a better chance or survival. A big hooray for you.
This is possibly the best idea yet.
This sounds like a good option. Please asking the Government for their help. It’s not the precious whales fault this is happening to them. They are intelligent and amazing and precious 💖 animals.
The arrogance and cruelity of marineland is beyond belief. These beautiful whales should never have been in a tank. Release them NOW to either survive or die with dignity in nature.
Too bad this was not iniitiated early this year giving these belugas the chance to integrate with a wild population i during the abundance of summer. Wheres the best option with the highest beluga density in the wild to release them?
Let’s start a movement that actually matters. #SetThemFree. Set the bulgas free, Set the Dolphins free, and Set those 2 suffering Captive Orcas FREE! People can make a difference when banned together. If ocean Ramsey Can’t Stop the state of Hawaii from killing sharks then this should be a cakewalk. #SetThemFree.
Where is all the $ from the many many years the park was packed. No government money. Shouldn’t even be stuck in tanks!!
This whole situation is one of the most disguisting situations of animal abuse and example of a throw a way society i have ever seen. Here is s solution. Take some of the older belugas and put them some where where they will be safe. Take the younger ones if there are any and put them back in the water. Introduce them to another pod and let marine biologists study them. Maybe put trackers on them and study how they do. Let us learn from this disgusting mess. Shame on Marineland and may we learn never to treat any animal like this again.
Yes this sounds good too , these are feeling and loving animals. They are in trouble and we should all care about them.
So many names we never see in the NN comments. These could easily pass as if written by the same person.
Please go with this idea even if they die in the wild atleast they were given a chance instead of having it taken away. A small chance at survival is better then no chance at all. These animals did not ask to be born let alone born in captivity. They where however born though and now as humans it is are job to do what is best for them. So many of us watched them grow and have seen them in person and in real life we know how beautiful they are. We all know they deserve a chance to keep living. We need to unite together and make sure they get the best chance they have and this is it at this point. Then once they are free we need to make sure marine land is shut down globally and all there animals are saved if it can happen here in Canada it can happen to all these amazing animals owned by marineland globally and it needs to be stopped before it happens again.
Tag the whales for tracking, release them into the closets access to the ocean, and follow where they travel to. RESEARCH gives knowledge.
Send them to a safe natural waterway where other whales are living and are protected from human hunters. Let them experience the joy of freedom before life ends.
Release them together back to their ancestory waters, where they can live as a family and hopefully their instincts will take over. They parents/grandparents were taken from Churchill River, release them in the Churchill River in the summer. They arent hunted there and will have the summer to figure it out. Their only predators at that time will be polar bears and odd killer whale pod until they m9ve on. The tourists will love them, the paddlers will love them and maybe the native whales will accept them.
Would love to release the author into the wild, after he’s been coddled by civilisation his entire life.
they should be set free and tagged. this is a possibility to see what does happen after release from captivity and could make a huge difference in the future of other sea life facing this reality.
if they’re gonna die, don’t let it be in vain. free them!
Anyone ever watch Free Willy?
The “real” Willy was an orca named Keiko who was captured in Iceland in 1979 and became famous after starring in the movie Free Willy. After the film’s success, a movement was started to help him, and he was moved to a rehabilitation facility in Oregon before being released into a sea pen in Iceland in 1998. He was eventually set free into the wild in 2002, becoming the first captive orca to be released into the ocean, but died in 2003 from pneumonia at age 27.
Let the whales go but try getting them used to hunting before hand if that’s what your worried about feed them live fish that swim freely in their tank in the mean time before setting them free to at least give them a chance to learn to hunt in the wild
Geez haven’t seen free willy have you? How could we be so heartless.These whales are deserving of a proper end of life in the deep blue sea! Let them go be wild and free for humanity sake.
Write a letter to your MP, MLA, Mayor, or even the DFO. Telling the government to release the whales on Nunatsiaq News comments section will not have an effect. If you want real action, take the proper steps.
I say set the beluga whales free. They were never meant to kept captive. God is in total control of this earth & sustaining every living being, animals & people. God will decide whether they live or die in the wild.
Life in the state of nature is “nasty, brutish and short,” according to English philosopher Thomas Hobbes.
That’s why 30 captive-born beluga whales at the Marineland amusement park in Niagara Falls, Ont., should be set free
This makes no sense Corey, none…
It’s the Doug Ford’s government’s responsibility to take care of these creatures now. All he wants to do is abdicate responsibility.
Please Doug Ford please help save these precious loving intelligent animals. It’s not the whales fault, that this happening to them. If they are set free at least they have a chance. God willing they will learn and be okay.
Doug Ford and the Ontario government, or any government, does not monitor the comments section of Nunatsiaq News or any comments section on any news website or social media. If you want real action, take the proper steps.
Save these beautiful and intelligent creatures!
Ford, this is your chance to do something truly humane. Stop hiding behind the shield of selfish politics.. If you have any conscience set them free.
PLEASE!!!
Obviously they are not meant to be held captive, but they were born in captivity and no nothing else. Sure they would love to swim free, but they will not survive. To me that is a terrible option. The whole thing just breaks my heart 😞
The author of this article is a newspaper editor, not a scientist. To quote an actual marine biologist, “To release the belugas into the wild would amount to a death sentence” Andrew Trites, director of the Marine Mammal Research Unit at the University of British Columbia. Larocque and everybody in the comments section saying the whales are better off being released are just wrong.
Euthanasia is the absolute worst and I’m not even sure how it’s even on the table in a first world country. They need to be relocated, sanctuary, China, whatever.
However, while I don’t support euthanasia, starving to death or being beaten to death by other whales is probably a more painful death than euthanasia.
Why can’t we do what we do in science or technology… Do a pilot. Take 5 belugas, stick cameras on them, take them to the St. Lawrence protected area (which is a little closer) and see what happens over a couple of weeks. If they can feed themselves or join existing groups… Then we take actions with the broader group.
Would lake erie be a safer alternative than the arctic?
They should have never been kept In the first place. It’s so sad to see that they have been used just to make a profit
Inuit organizations do not spend money on public good. Doesn’t happen. They only work on government money if they can take some off the tip for admin.
Good argument but what if the aquarium pro are really telling the truth. The only way those whales got food was hands feeding. And that is all they know. In the wild the would just starve because food was always from humans. They had to jump for all the food they get. What if it really that sad and unnatural..