Making Waves Weekly: An update on the Marineland beluga whales and more…

A shorter edition this week.

Ben Thouard has been named the 2025 Ocean Adventure Photographer of the Year, and I find his work to be compelling and beautiful. You can view some of his photos, plus an interview with Ben, here.

With that note, I’m bringing you a shorter edition today. I’ll be writing more about one of the ICYMI items in next week’s highlights, but for now, I want to bring you an update on last week’s item about the Canadian belugas at risk.

As of today, Marineland’s beluga whales are still alive. The arguments about their fate continue to rage on. I just want to highlight a few different media pieces from the past week:

• Writing for the Toronto Star, staff columnist Andrew Phillips states: “What should be done? I’m no expert, but the organization World Animal Protection Canada points out that the province has powers under the Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) Act to intervene when animals are in danger. ‘These powers,’ it says, ‘include appointing inspectors, assuming care of animals in distress and recovering costs from facility owners.’”

• Nunatsiaq News asserts that the belugas will die outside of captivity, citing expert opinion and also referencing the PAWS Act: “The provincial government can intervene, remove the animals and ensure they receive proper care, under the Ontario Progressive Animal Welfare Services Act.”

• The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation shared a drone video revealing what life is like for the belugas (and the park’s other marine mammals) while they await a decision.

• Andrew Lewin’s How to Protect the Ocean podcast had an episode talking about some of the nuances of this situation.

Here’s hoping that a humane, ethical decision will be reached soon. Be thinking of these poor belugas.

ICYMI

• Coral reefs pass climate tipping point

• Methane escaping from the Antarctic seabed

• GOP, industry groups are STILL trying to weaken the Marine Mammal Protection Act

• Southern right whales are having fewer calves

• Ocean robots are now obtaining marine climate data

• A story of hope: Green sea turtles saved from the brink of extinction

• They found Alzheimer’s-like symptoms in dolphins

• Quahog clams are reaching a tipping point, and we should be worried

• Deep-sea mining threatens sharks, rays, and chimaeras

SWIMMING ACROSS YOUR SCREEN

Today’s images are brought to you by my father, Shane Vander Hart, who snapped these pictures along the East Coast.

Signing off on this week’s marine news. See you next week with a new wave of ocean updates!

Kelvey 🌊🦈

P.S. You can send news tips, story ideas, hate mail, and photos of cute ocean creatures to thesaltwaterchronicles@gmail.com.