Marineland, a themed zoo and amusement park at Niagara Falls in the Canadian province of Ontario, has become the site of more than a dozen deaths of precious marine animals, World Animal Protection said in a press release. The multinational non-governmental organization, which works to end animal suffering, has now initiated a drive to shut the place down.
Melissa Matlow, campaign director, said, “Sixteen beluga whales and one orca [killer whale] have died at Marineland since 2019. That is horrifying and the government of Ontario must step in to act. Marineland has lost the trust of the public and has no business caring for animals.”
In addition to the whale deaths, one dolphin and two seals have died in suspicious circumstances at Marineland since 2019.
In the past, Marineland has been charged with using captive dolphins in performances for entertainment. Those charges were stayed, largely due to backlogs in Ontario’s criminal justice system.
As if all this were not enough, Marineland was recently found guilty under Ontario’s animal welfare legislation of failing to comply with an order related to the care of three young black bears. Those charges came to light in 2021 when the facility was found to lack appropriate living conditions for bears. The animals were kept in cramped enclosures without amenities like climbing structures or access to permanent water sources. The conditions were so poor, Ontario’s Animal Welfare Services declared the bears in distress and ordered Marineland to improve the conditions. Despite being asked to get its act right, Marineland failed to comply.
Matlow said, “Enough is enough. Marineland is the prime example of Ontario’s broken system of regulations of animal attractions. This is a law-and-order issue, and the provincial government needs to address this issue immediately for the safety and security of the animals that remain at the facility.”
Source: PR Newswire
