Seven more Marineland beluga whales are heading to a new home in the United States. The Ontario theme park confirmed the whales left for SeaWorld San Antonio on Monday, continuing a relocation effort that began just weeks earlier.

This latest transfer marks the second phase of Marineland’s larger plan to move its entire beluga population. It follows the successful relocation of six belugas to Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and SeaWorld San Antonio in July.

The park says the seven female belugas making this trip are named Xena, Gemini, Skyla, Meeka, Eve, Neva and Calypso. All seven are headed to SeaWorld’s San Antonio location, joining the whales that arrived there earlier this summer.

Who Are the Seven Belugas Heading to Texas?

Marineland has not shared many details about the individual whales beyond their names. However, the park did stress one thing clearly: safety comes first throughout the entire journey.

According to Marineland, “the health, safety and well-being of the whales remain its top priority throughout the journey.” This statement echoes the language used during the first phase of transfers back in July.

One of Marineland’s advisers described the overall relocation project in striking terms. The process involves custom slings, dozens of coordinated staff members, and continuous collaboration between American and international teams. The adviser called the entire undertaking “unprecedented.”

That word captures the scale of what’s happening. Moving nearly 30 beluga whales across international borders has never been attempted before on this level, and the logistics reflect that complexity.

Why Marineland Is Relocating All Its Whales

Marineland has been closed to the public since 2024. During this time, the park has been trying to sell its sprawling property, located just a short distance from Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Money troubles sit at the center of this story. The park has stated it is running out of funds and can no longer properly care for its whales, which pushed leadership toward drastic action.

Before settling on the current plan, Marineland attempted a very different route. The park tried shipping its belugas and dolphins to an aquarium in China, but Canada’s federal fisheries minister blocked that proposal entirely.

Soon after that plan collapsed, Marineland made international headlines again. This time, the park threatened to euthanize all of its belugas unless it received emergency funding, a move that sparked widespread public concern.

Eventually, Marineland reached an agreement with a consortium of American and Spanish aquariums. Together, they developed the phased relocation plan now underway, giving the whales a path to new facilities instead of facing euthanasia.

The Scale of Marineland’s Beluga Population

Before any transfers began, Marineland housed 30 belugas and four dolphins. That made it home to the largest group of captive belugas anywhere in the world.

It also meant something significant for Canada specifically. These animals represented the country’s last remaining captive whales and dolphins, making this relocation a milestone moment for Canadian marine parks.

The first group of seven whales departed on July 20, kicking off the broader transfer process. Monday’s move brings the total number of relocated belugas to 13, with more transfers likely still to come as the plan continues.