A dolphin that was relocated from Marineland has passed away in Spain, marking the fifth death of an animal from the now-closed tourist spot in Niagara Falls, Ontario, following a significant transfer of whales and dolphins earlier this year.
The Oceanogràfic de València confirmed the demise of Echo, a blind Black Sea bottlenose dolphin estimated to be around 30 years old, on Wednesday. Echo experienced difficulties with swallowing and breathing, prompting her transfer to the medical pool. Despite the dedicated care by the Oceanografic’s animal care and veterinary teams, her health rapidly deteriorated, leading to her passing overnight.
Echo, along with three other dolphins and two belugas, was transported to Oceanogràfic on a lengthy 19-hour journey from the closed Niagara Falls attraction on August 26. Among the belugas, Jelly Bean had already passed away the previous week.
Oceanogràfic is currently conducting necropsies on both deceased animals, in collaboration with pathology experts from CEU Cardenal Herrera University, to determine the cause of death. The remaining four animals brought from Canada are reported to be in good health and are under constant supervision by the professional teams at Oceanogràfic.
The loss of Echo has deeply impacted the Oceanogràfic team, which had been providing specialized care to her due to her unique requirements since her arrival.
Since the summer transfers of 30 belugas and four dolphins from Marineland to various parks, including Oceanogràfic and Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, four belugas and one dolphin have tragically died. Investigations are ongoing to ascertain the reasons behind these deaths.
Marineland ceased operations in 2024 due to financial constraints and an inability to provide proper care for the whales. Authorities rejected a deal between Marineland and Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in China, citing welfare concerns for the animals. The decision was influenced by differences in animal welfare laws between Canada and China, with Canada banning whale and dolphin captivity in 2019 but allowing for existing facilities like Marineland to continue with their animals.
Marineland had threatened to euthanize the whales if emergency funding was not secured, prompting an international response. Subsequently, a group of American and Spanish aquariums collaborated to assist in relocating the marine mammals, a process that concluded by the end of August.
Both Shedd Aquarium and Oceanogràfic are actively investigating the circumstances around the recent animal deaths, with all parks’ veterinarians clearing the animals for transport after thorough health assessments conducted at Marineland, overseen by Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson.
The concerted efforts to relocate the animals were part of a broader initiative to ensure their well-being and safety following Marineland’s closure.
