Nearly three dozen beluga whales that have remained at a closed Canadian theme park since 2024 are set to be relocated to aquariums in the United States and Spain following an urgent rescue effort.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration last week approved an emergency plan intended to protect the animals, which have been housed at Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario, after the park shut down.

In October, Marineland warned that it could be forced to euthanize the whales unless officials authorized a transfer, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

The park closed to visitors two years ago amid serious financial difficulties and mounting concerns over its ability to properly care for the animals in its custody.

Data obtained by The Canadian Press showed that 20 whales had died at Marineland since 2019.

“This rescue effort will take several weeks to mobilize and complete, and the comfort and safety of the whales remains of the utmost importance,” a representative for the American aquarium consortium, one of the groups involved in the operation, said.

Under the current plan, the belugas will be divided among five accredited facilities. Twenty-eight are expected to go to four U.S. sites: the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, SeaWorld San Diego and SeaWorld San Antonio, according to the CBC.

The remaining two whales are slated to be transferred to Oceanogràfic València in Spain, the outlet reported.

The whales will have to be cleared by Canadian veterinarians before they can be transferred, and dedicated care staff from the US aquariums will soon arrive at Marineland to assess the whales’ well-being and make preparations for travel, the American consortium said.

“Once the belugas are cleared for travel by Canadian veterinarians, aquarium experts will accompany the animals to their new homes, where they will be met with diverse seafood to meet their nutritional needs, high quality environments with guaranteed water quality and onsite medical care should they require it at any time,” the group said in a statement.

The announcement comes more than eight months after the Canadian government denied Marineland’s request to send the 30 belugas to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, which is an aquarium in China. 

Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans Minister Joanne Thompson said that decision was consistent with a 2019 law making it illegal to use whales and dolphins in entertainment shows or keep them in captivity for that purpose.