Five of Marineland's rescued belugas have died since leaving Canada

The last of 30 belugas and four dolphins has left Marineland, the shuttered park near Niagara Falls, Ontario, for aquariums in the United States and Spain. Tofino, Canada's last captive whale, went to SeaWorld San Antonio.

Background

Ottawa had refused a plan to sell the whales to China over animal welfare concerns, and the park said they would have to be euthanized. Several aquariums then took them in.

Rescued belugas that have died since the move

5 belugas

Five belugas and one dolphin have died since the move, most of them at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium. Necropsies found chronic gut and liver disease, and foreign objects such as rocks and feathers in two stomachs.

And us?

A seaside sanctuary planned in Nova Scotia, the Whale Sanctuary Project, began construction in the last two months and still needs $6 million. Canada banned keeping and breeding whales and dolphins seven years ago.