The troubling story of the 30 beluga whales marooned at the now-closed Marineland amusement park in Niagara Falls is a disturbing tale that raises ethical issues about the use and abuse of animals by humans in name of “entertainment.”

The once-popular tourist attraction was forced to close in 2024 after allegations about poor conditions in which these glorious, sentient creatures were being kept. Over the years, whales, belugas and seals have died in captivity. The park was fined $85,000 in 2024 for not improving the conditions under which three young bears were being kept.

To complicate matters, in 2019, the federal government passed the Ending Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act, which forbids taking the creatures into captivity, breeding or exporting them.

Marineland recently asked

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