A Brief Commentary by Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper
Posted January 23rd. 2026 on Niagara At Large
Well this is how it ends.
Lives of 30 surviving beluga whales now in limbo at shuttered Marineland amusement park in Niagara Falls, Ontario
After decades of the Niagara Falls, Ontario Marineland Park’s founder – the late John Holer – claiming over and over again, how much he “loves” his animals at the park, we are reportedly down to a situation where those who now own what is left of that once-popular amusement park saying telling us we now face transferring what are left of the remaining beluga whales and dolphins there to amusement parks in the U.S. or being euthanized right here in Niagara Falls, Canada.
Consider that. We are talking about the possibility of deliberately killing whales and dolphins right here in Niagara, Ontario!
While I know that we are living in a world right now that is facing so many miseries that the lives of about 30 beluga whales and a few dolphins may not matter all that much, I would argue that our humanity should do everything possible to keep these wonderful animals alive.
I also wonder where are all of the animal activists at a time like this that used to stand outside the gates of Marineland, holding signs reading that these great marine mammals should not be held in captivity for peoples’ amusment.
Two of the 30 surviving beluga whales still held in captivity at the now-shuttered Marineland amusement park in Niagara Falls, Ontario
Where in hell are we going with this, with a Marineland park that is now closed and threatening to euthanize the whales and dolphins it has left if it they can’t be moved to aquarium sites in the United States – even after those same animals made the the park owners so much money.
And where are our provincial and federal governments on this after all of the many decades of making money off this amusement park and the poor animals in it?
If you give a shit about these poor animals, contact your provincial and federal representatives and let them now.
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Doug Draper, Niagara At Large
To view a recent television news report on this issue, click on the screen immediately below –
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