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Marineland and Game Farm first opened in 1961 in Niagara Falls, Ont. In yesteryear, Marineland was a phenomenally successful amusement park. Attendees packed the park in the summertime. TV and radio ads promoted Marineland with such slogans as “You’ll have a whale of a time!” and “Everyone loves Marineland!”.

But that was then, and this is now.

Marineland and Game Farm has suffered a decline in recent years. Attendance dropped dramatically, perhaps due to changing public attitudes regarding marine mammals being held in captivity.

The Marineland website currently states that the park is “temporarily closed” for the season. Many observers speculate that the park will never reopen. Indeed, the company is currently in the process of selling its thrill rides to other amusement parks.

Rebel News recently paid a visit to Marineland, and the park was a sad, sorry sight compared to what it was during its glory days. The venue is completely fenced off to the public, while a smattering of workers are kept busy demolishing certain areas, such as the stage facing the tank where the marine mammals used to perform.

And while abandoned rollercoasters and other thrill rides are inanimate objects, such is not the case with the animals who have been left behind and are living in less-than-ideal conditions.

This includes a few bears, hundreds of deer and elk, and most distressing of all, several dolphins and beluga whales. Our drone footage captured these marine mammals swimming in endless circles in small tanks in water that appeared to be dirty.

The animal rights group Animal Justice recently filed a legal complaint with Animal Welfare Services (AWS) after new footage at Marineland, released by Tidebreakers, notes that at least one beluga whale is in isolation due to apparent illness. Animal Justice notes that since 2019, approximately 18 belugas, one dolphin, and Kiska the orca have died at Marineland.

Animal Justice also notes that the noise, vibrations, and disruption from the ongoing demolition activity are likely causing these animals to “experience fear and psychological suffering.”

In the most recent complaint, Animal Justice asked yet again for AWS to take urgent steps to independently assess the health of the cetaceans who remain at Marineland, and improve their living conditions in order to protect their health and well-being.

Of note, AWS has inspected Marineland more than 220 times since January 2020 and tested water quality in tanks, but Ontario’s Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) Act also empowers AWS to provide needed care to animals in distress and requires the animals’ owners to cover the costs. Despite widespread public concern about animal suffering at Marineland and a history of animal welfare problems, AWS has never laid charges against Marineland for the treatment of its whales and dolphins.

Animal Justice also notes that it is deeply concerned that Marineland might send its beluga whales to overseas facilities like Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in China, where animals could be used in entertainment and breeding programs. These are activities that are banned in Canada.

Rebel News reached out to PAWS, the City of Niagara Falls, and Marineland. Nobody responded. In the meantime, the animals that remain at Marineland appear to be languishing in appalling conditions.

So much for “Everyone loves Marineland”…