The final six rescued beluga whales from Marineland of Canada have reached the United States, closing a five-week relocation effort that moved 30 belugas and four dolphins by land and air across three countries.
SeaWorld reported the milestone on September 1 and said the operation used six transports. SeaWorld was one of the receiving facilities in the relocation, which began after the Canadian marine park could no longer support the animals' care.
The mission is complete. 🐋 The final 6 rescued belugas arrived safely in the U.S., closing out the largest marine mammal rescue of its kind ever undertaken. In just 5 weeks, 30 belugas and 4 dolphins rescued, by land and air across three countries, in 6 transports. View the complete update
— SeaWorld (@SeaWorld) September 1, 2026
View SeaWorld's complete beluga-rescue update on X
The final whales leave Marineland
Two young male belugas, Gimli and Yukon, arrived Tuesday morning at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, WTTW News and CBS Chicago reported. The pair were the final belugas to leave the shuttered Niagara Falls park.
Gimli and Yukon will join Shedd's beluga pod while animal-care teams monitor how they eat, rest, respond to caregivers and relate to the other whales. The receiving aquariums are continuing the same careful acclimation process with the animals that arrived earlier in the summer.
A five-week rescue effort
The receiving institutions include Shedd Aquarium, Georgia Aquarium, SeaWorld San Antonio, SeaWorld San Diego and Oceanogràfic de València. The operation moved the animals out of Marineland after the park closed to the public in 2024.
The transfers leave no whales or dolphins at Marineland, and WTTW reported that no whales or dolphins remain in captivity in Canada. The animals' care continues at their new facilities as veterinary and animal-care teams track each whale's adjustment.
Sources: SeaWorld's September 1 update, WTTW News' report on the final Shedd arrival and CBS Chicago's report.
Image credit: SeaWorld.