Marineland of Canada

Marineland (official name Marineland of Canada Inc.) is a closed themed zoo and amusement park in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada that operated from 1961 until 2024.

It was founded and operated by John Holer, a Slovenian immigrant, from 1961 until his death in 2018. He started with one tank and built the operation into a major attraction and employer. The park had performing marine animal shows, exhibits of marine and land animals, and amusement rides. The marine mammals included dolphins, sea lions, and beluga whales. Until 2023, the park also kept walruses and orcas. The park also kept bears, deer and other land animals. After Holer's death, it was operated by his widow until her death in 2024, under public pressure to discontinue its marine exhibits. In 2024, it discontinued public viewing of its land animals.

The park's keeping of marine mammals is controversial, and the park has been involved in several lawsuits related to the practice. The keeping of the sea mammals is opposed by animal rights activists, and Marineland has been the site of numerous animal rights demonstrations. The Canadian government passed a law to ban the practice of keeping belugas, while allowing Marineland to keep its current animals. Marineland transferred some of its marine mammals to aquariums in Spain and the United States. Animal rights organizations have volunteered to assist in the relocation of its remaining marine mammals.

In 2024, Marineland operated on a reduced scale while being slated for redevelopment. No amusement rides operated and only a few water exhibits were open. The park later announced in 2025 that the amusement rides at the park would be sold off.

In 2025, Marineland sub-divided its property, mortgaging its undeveloped lands under a financing plan, and announced it would move its remaining animals, while it searches for new ownership. The park sought export permits to transfer its belugas to facilities in China, but the request was denied and Marineland requested financial assistance from the federal government to feed and care for the whales saying otherwise it would need to euthanize them.

On January 26, 2026, Joanne Thompson, the federal minister of fisheries and oceans gave "conditional approval" to Marineland to export its remaining 30 belugas and 4 dolphins to several institutions in the United States. Before final approval is given, Marineland will need to provide a complete travel plan and confirm precisely which animals are going to which facilities as well as receive confirmation from accredited veterinarians that each animal is safe to be transported. Marineland had stated that if the government had denied the request for export permits it would proceed with a secondary plan to euthanize the animals.