When Whales Suffer, Society Suffers Too: A Reflection on Marineland and Captivity

 💔 When Whales Suffer, Society Suffers Too: A Reflection on Marineland and Captivity

For decades, whales have been a part of my life — not just as awe-inspiring creatures, but as part of my personal traditions. I started visiting the Vancouver Aquarium as a child, and later took my own kid there. I remember seeing Skana, a young killer whale, and feeling the power and intelligence in her eyes. 🐋

It became our tradition: every year, on my child’s birthdays, we would visit the aquarium, marvel at the baby belugas, and marvel at the grace of these magnificent animals. Yet even as we watched, I struggled with the reality of captivity. The tickets weren’t cheap, and the animals weren’t free. Their lives were confined, displayed for entertainment, and yet we felt we were “learning” from them.

And now, I see what decades of captivity can lead to. In Vancouver, all our whales are gone — mysteriously, tragically, over the last 10–20 years. 🥺 Many died without explanation. I watched the babies grow up, and now they’re gone. The legacy of captivity has consequences, for the animals and for us.

And here comes the shock today: Marineland in Niagara Falls still has 30 belugas. Thirty. 😡 Despite decades of public scrutiny, despite modern understanding of animal welfare, and despite laws in Canada meant to protect whales, they remain in captivity — and the park is now threatening to euthanize them if they do not receive emergency funding.

This is not just an animal issue. This is a societal issue. People in Canada are hungry, unhoused, and dying on the streets while private parks keep dozens of whales, breeding them for profit and profit alone. The Holer family — not even Canadian in origin — ran this for decades, prioritizing money over life. How is this still allowed?

Reflective Questions

• How do we balance education and enlightenment with the ethical treatment of animals?
• Should private entertainment enterprises ever hold sentient beings hostage for profit?
• How much is society willing to invest in corporate interests instead of human or animal welfare?
• If Vancouver’s whales had been allowed humane, sanctuary-focused solutions decades ago, could tragedies have been avoided?
• When is euthanasia ethically acceptable — and when is it coercion disguised as necessity?
• Can we create traditions of learning and joy with animals that do not involve captivity?

What Can Be Done

• Marineland’s assets should be redirected to accredited sanctuaries, like the Whale Sanctuary Project in Nova Scotia, so these 30 whales can live in a natural, humane environment.
• Public pressure is needed to demand transparency, accountability, and immediate humane plans for these animals.
• Our local governments and MPs must enforce existing laws (Bill S‑203) and ensure no whales are exported for entertainment, and that any corporate profits benefiting from animal captivity are redirected to welfare projects.
• Society must reflect on priorities — why do private profit and entertainment come before life, dignity, and care?

We cannot bring back the whales who died here in Vancouver, but we can fight for those still alive, and we can educate the next generation in ways that honor both animals and humanity. 🐬💙

Let this be a wake-up call: traditions don’t have to harm, learning doesn’t have to enslave, and power doesn’t have to exploit.