Beluga whales saved from being euthanised as they are relocated to a new sanctuary

A group of beluga whales have now been rescued from a closed-down theme park in Canada.

Marineland, a Canadian theme park near Niagara Falls which permanently shut in 2024, previously warned it would have to 'euthanise' 30 of its whales in captivity if it did not receive the emergency funds needed to keep them fed.

On Monday (20 July), six of the 30 whales started their journey to the US after officials approved an international rescue effort to relocate the animals, per CBC.

In a statement to local outlets, Canadian Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson confirmed: "The first wave of the rescue mission at Marineland is underway."

"The rescue operation is being led by a consortium of accredited aquariums, and they will be sharing details as it progresses," she added.

Six Beluga whales have been rescued from Marineland in Canada (Mar Merelo / Getty Images)

Thompson also thanked veterinarians who helped with the relocation efforts and 'all organisations leading the work to ensure they are transported safely'.

Four of the beluga whales, identified as Sierra, Acadia, Osiris and Lillooet, were sent to a facility in the US and will be transported to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, according to CTV News.

The other two, Bertie Botts and Frankie, will be going to SeaWorld in San Antonio, the outlet adds.

A total of 28 beluga whales will be taken to four marine parks in the States, including Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, and SeaWorld locations in San Antonio and San Diego.

Meanwhile, the final two are set to be transported to Oceanografic Valencia in Spain.

The whales, which can grow up to 15 feet long and weigh up to 1,600 kg, were transported in specialised cold-water containers by truck and plane and were accompanied throughout the journey by marine mammal veterinarians.

Marineland previously warned it would have to 'euthanise' 30 of its whales in captivity if it did not receive the emergency funds needed to keep them fed (Paul Souders / Getty Images)

In a statement to CTV News, Marineland praised the transfer of the six beluga whales as marking a 'significant milestone'.

The park added that it was 'deeply grateful' to those who made the rehoming possible.

The whales in question had been living under the threat of euthanasia since last October, when Marineland's request to transport them to China's Chimelong Ocean Kingdom was denied by the federal government.

Marineland has previously faced scrutiny for the mistreatment of animals it cares for, as per ITV News.

The park closed to the public in 2024, following reports made by CBC that there had been multiple whale deaths at the park.

Tyla has reached out to Marineland for comment.