Two beluga whales, named Bertie Bott and Frankie, successfully arrived at SeaWorld San Antonio on Tuesday, July 22, 2026, at 5:17 PM EDT, settling into a 2-million-gallon saltwater pool. The 1,200-pound animals were transported more than 1,500 miles from Niagara Falls, Ontario, as part of an international rescue operation involving a shuttered Canadian theme park, Marineland. The same mission also facilitated the transfer of four additional belugas to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.
This relocation represents the culmination of nearly two years of international coordination. In total, 28 whales are expected to be moved to various aquariums across the United States. Steve Aible, the vice president of zoological operations at SeaWorld San Antonio, expressed his enthusiasm for the arrival, noting that the whales are already exhibiting engaging behavior and maintaining a healthy appetite. Aible, who was among 10 caretakers accompanying the animals on a journey involving flat-bed trucks and a cargo plane, remarked on the unique experience of flying with the whales.
The transport process included constant monitoring by veterinarians specializing in marine mammal medicine. Marineland, which closed to the public in 2024, had previously warned that it lacked the necessary resources to continue caring for the animals and might be forced to euthanize them without a successful relocation plan or additional funding. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued official approvals in July to facilitate the move, citing a lack of alternative facilities in Canada capable of providing the required husbandry and medical support for the belugas.
According to SeaWorld officials, the whales are expected to thrive in their new environment. Aible emphasized that the move was necessary because Marineland had ceased functioning as a working theme park. Caretakers at the San Antonio facility are currently conducting ongoing medical assessments before integrating Bertie and Frankie with the eight belugas already residing at the park. The organization confirmed that another 11 whales from the Canadian park are scheduled to join the San Antonio group, while the remaining animals will be distributed to aquariums in Georgia, Chicago, San Diego, and Spain.
