3 Beluga whales rescued from Marineland Canada arrive at SeaWorld San Diego

San Diego welcomed three new beluga whales from Canada, marking one of the largest marine mammal relocation efforts ever undertaken. The belugas, named Xavier, Cyprus, and Jasper, arrived Sunday via a cargo plane as part of a mission to save these animals from potential euthanasia due to the closure of their previous home, Marineland Canada.

Mitzi Synott, a zoological supervisor at SeaWorld San Diego, described the operation as unprecedented.

“What an amazing adventure rescuing 30 animals, out of this park to zoos all over the world,” Synott said, highlighting the scale of the relocation effort.

Trainers expressed optimism about the belugas’ adjustment to their new home.

“We want to make sure they’re healthy, comfortable. They’re eating, socializing and met the other whales through a gate,” Synott said. The whales traveled 2,500 miles in five hours, requiring careful handling with cranes and specialized crates filled with ice-cold water.

SeaWorld San Diego now has a total of six belugas, including two brothers who just met: Xavier and Klondike, who was also born at Marineland Canada. Trainers are intrigued to see how the belugas will react to each other, given their familial bond.

Before the relocation, trainers spent months getting to know the whales in Canada, which helped with their acclimatization process. The public will have the chance to meet the new belugas in a few weeks when they are introduced to their 500,000-gallon tank.

These belugas eat a diet of 30 to 40 pounds of herring and capelin daily as they grow to an impressive 14 feet and nearly 2,000 pounds. Belugas are born dark gray, and it takes them about 10 to 12 years to achieve their full white coloration.

In addition to this historic relocation, SeaWorld has rescued approximately 43,000 animals to date, showcasing its ongoing commitment to marine life conservation.