Xavier, Cyprus and Jasper arrived safely in San Diego Saturday morning after traveling together from the now-closed Marineland of Canada in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The three males were transported by truck and aboard a Qatar Airways Boeing 777 cargo aircraft before being transferred to SeaWorld San Diego's Wild Arctic habitat.
The operation is part of an unprecedented multinational effort involving SeaWorld and several major aquariums to find new homes for approximately 30 beluga whales stranded at Marineland following the controversial attraction's closure to the public in 2024. Marineland subsequently said its worsening financial situation left it unable to continue caring for the animals and raised the possibility that the remaining whales could be euthanized if another solution could not be found. Xavier is 13 years old, while Cyprus and Jasper are both 9. Each weighs roughly 1,500 pounds.
Moving them across an international border required considerably more than buying three oversized airline tickets. The whales were placed individually onto specially designed padded stretchers with openings for their pectoral fins and lowered into customized transport containers partially filled with cold water maintained at temperatures similar to their former habitat. Animal-care specialists remained alongside them throughout the journey, monitoring the whales and continually keeping their exposed skin wet.
After approximately 4 1/2 hours in the air, the cargo plane landed in San Diego shortly after 7am Saturday. The whales were then transported to SeaWorld, where the operation concluded at approximately 8:30am following a roughly 12-hour journey by land and air.
"It is not an easy task to move 1,500-pound whales across country," SeaWorld San Diego senior zoological specialist Cindie Sweitzer told the Union-Tribune, acknowledging that transportation inevitably creates some stress for the animals.
After approximately 4 1/2 hours in the air, the cargo plane landed in San Diego shortly after 7am Saturday. The whales were then transported to SeaWorld, where the operation concluded at approximately 8:30am following a roughly 12-hour journey by land and air.
"It is not an easy task to move 1,500-pound whales across country," SeaWorld San Diego senior zoological specialist Cindie Sweitzer told the Union-Tribune, acknowledging that transportation inevitably creates some stress for the animals.
SeaWorld says Xavier, Cyprus and Jasper were deliberately transported together because they had already developed a social bond at Marineland. Belugas are highly social animals, and maintaining those relationships can provide familiarity during an otherwise dramatic transition.
"Our entire team is overjoyed to welcome the belugas to San Diego. Our immediate focus is on Xavier, Cyprus, and Jasper's health and wellbeing," SeaWorld San Diego Vice President of Animals and Conservation Eric Otjen said. "Providing world class care to animals in need is an important part of SeaWorld's mission, and we, along with our AZA-accredited partners, are honored to play a part in this historic endeavor."
For now, visitors shouldn't necessarily expect to immediately see San Diego's newest residents. SeaWorld's veterinary and animal-care teams will closely monitor the whales' eating, swimming, breathing, behavior and socialization while allowing them to acclimate to unfamiliar surroundings and a new group of caregivers. Even seeing guests through the Wild Arctic habitat's underwater viewing windows will represent a new experience in a new environment. Once staff determine they are ready, Xavier, Cyprus and Jasper will gradually be introduced to SeaWorld San Diego's three existing belugas: Allua, Oliver and Klondike.
"Our entire team is overjoyed to welcome the belugas to San Diego. Our immediate focus is on Xavier, Cyprus, and Jasper's health and wellbeing," SeaWorld San Diego Vice President of Animals and Conservation Eric Otjen said. "Providing world class care to animals in need is an important part of SeaWorld's mission, and we, along with our AZA-accredited partners, are honored to play a part in this historic endeavor."
For now, visitors shouldn't necessarily expect to immediately see San Diego's newest residents. SeaWorld's veterinary and animal-care teams will closely monitor the whales' eating, swimming, breathing, behavior and socialization while allowing them to acclimate to unfamiliar surroundings and a new group of caregivers. Even seeing guests through the Wild Arctic habitat's underwater viewing windows will represent a new experience in a new environment. Once staff determine they are ready, Xavier, Cyprus and Jasper will gradually be introduced to SeaWorld San Diego's three existing belugas: Allua, Oliver and Klondike.
Klondike has a particularly relevant connection to the newcomers. He also came from Marineland as part of the ongoing relocation effort. The arrival brings SeaWorld San Diego's beluga population to six.
The enormous rescue operation grew out of an increasingly desperate situation at Marineland, a once-famous Niagara Falls attraction that opened in 1961 and for decades maintained one of the world's largest collections of captive belugas.
Marineland closed to the public in 2024 amid mounting financial and animal-welfare problems. Twenty whales, including 19 belugas and an orca, reportedly died at the facility beginning in 2019, while the future of the surviving animals became the subject of an international dispute.
Marineland initially sought to transfer its remaining belugas to a theme park in China, but Canadian authorities rejected that proposal. As the financially struggling park warned that it could no longer afford to maintain the animals and raised the possibility of euthanasia, aquariums in the United States and Europe developed an alternative plan.
The enormous rescue operation grew out of an increasingly desperate situation at Marineland, a once-famous Niagara Falls attraction that opened in 1961 and for decades maintained one of the world's largest collections of captive belugas.
Marineland closed to the public in 2024 amid mounting financial and animal-welfare problems. Twenty whales, including 19 belugas and an orca, reportedly died at the facility beginning in 2019, while the future of the surviving animals became the subject of an international dispute.
Marineland initially sought to transfer its remaining belugas to a theme park in China, but Canadian authorities rejected that proposal. As the financially struggling park warned that it could no longer afford to maintain the animals and raised the possibility of euthanasia, aquariums in the United States and Europe developed an alternative plan.
The U.S. government ultimately took the unusual step of authorizing an emergency importation. NOAA Fisheries entered into a cooperative agreement with SeaWorld, Georgia Aquarium and Chicago's John G. Shedd Aquarium permitting 28 Marineland belugas to enter the United States as part of what the federal agency formally describes as a rescue operation. Two additional whales are slated for Oceanogràfic València in Spain.
Moving 30 whales in a matter of weeks has required coordination among governments, veterinarians, animal-care specialists, airlines and five receiving facilities. The first six belugas were transported from Canada in July, beginning a succession of carefully planned movements. Additional groups have since arrived at SeaWorld San Antonio, Shedd Aquarium and Georgia Aquarium. The Atlanta facility welcomed two males, Balor and Zephyr, earlier this month, while Shedd has received multiple groups.
SeaWorld says Saturday's arrival represents the fourth successful transport in its portion of the broader effort and brings the number of rescued Marineland whales received by SeaWorld parks to 12 of an anticipated 16.
What makes the undertaking unusual isn't simply transporting a whale by aircraft. SeaWorld and other large marine facilities have moved whales, dolphins and other large marine mammals for decades. Rather, officials say the unprecedented component is relocating such an enormous population from a failed facility across multiple destinations in two countries on a compressed timeline.
Moving 30 whales in a matter of weeks has required coordination among governments, veterinarians, animal-care specialists, airlines and five receiving facilities. The first six belugas were transported from Canada in July, beginning a succession of carefully planned movements. Additional groups have since arrived at SeaWorld San Antonio, Shedd Aquarium and Georgia Aquarium. The Atlanta facility welcomed two males, Balor and Zephyr, earlier this month, while Shedd has received multiple groups.
SeaWorld says Saturday's arrival represents the fourth successful transport in its portion of the broader effort and brings the number of rescued Marineland whales received by SeaWorld parks to 12 of an anticipated 16.
What makes the undertaking unusual isn't simply transporting a whale by aircraft. SeaWorld and other large marine facilities have moved whales, dolphins and other large marine mammals for decades. Rather, officials say the unprecedented component is relocating such an enormous population from a failed facility across multiple destinations in two countries on a compressed timeline.
"They're not just going to one place. They're going to four different places in the United States, so to get all the logistics done is a monumental task," Otjen told the Union-Tribune.
The rescue nevertheless arrives within the larger and longstanding controversy surrounding keeping whales and dolphins in captivity. Critics of marine parks have questioned whether moving the Marineland animals into other captive facilities represents the best long-term solution, including concerns about breeding and their potential future use in entertainment. Supporters of the emergency transfer argue that the animals were born or have spent their lives in human care and that established aquariums with extensive veterinary infrastructure offered the most immediate viable alternative to a financially collapsing facility. For Xavier, Cyprus and Jasper, those broader debates now give way to the more immediate process of adjusting to San Diego.
SeaWorld has not announced when the three whales will be fully introduced to its existing beluga population or when visitors will be able to see them regularly. Staff say those decisions will be dictated by the animals themselves as they acclimate.
Eight Marineland belugas reportedly remain to be relocated following Saturday's transfer, with two expected to go to Shedd Aquarium, four to SeaWorld San Antonio and two to Oceanogràfic València. Because each movement depends on the health and readiness of the individual animals, participating organizations say future transport dates will not be announced in advance.
SeaWorld San Diego is located at 500 Sea World Drive in Mission Bay. For more information, visit SeaWorld San Diego.
Originally published August 22, 2026.
The rescue nevertheless arrives within the larger and longstanding controversy surrounding keeping whales and dolphins in captivity. Critics of marine parks have questioned whether moving the Marineland animals into other captive facilities represents the best long-term solution, including concerns about breeding and their potential future use in entertainment. Supporters of the emergency transfer argue that the animals were born or have spent their lives in human care and that established aquariums with extensive veterinary infrastructure offered the most immediate viable alternative to a financially collapsing facility. For Xavier, Cyprus and Jasper, those broader debates now give way to the more immediate process of adjusting to San Diego.
SeaWorld has not announced when the three whales will be fully introduced to its existing beluga population or when visitors will be able to see them regularly. Staff say those decisions will be dictated by the animals themselves as they acclimate.
Eight Marineland belugas reportedly remain to be relocated following Saturday's transfer, with two expected to go to Shedd Aquarium, four to SeaWorld San Antonio and two to Oceanogràfic València. Because each movement depends on the health and readiness of the individual animals, participating organizations say future transport dates will not be announced in advance.
SeaWorld San Diego is located at 500 Sea World Drive in Mission Bay. For more information, visit SeaWorld San Diego.
Originally published August 22, 2026.
