Marineland of Canada

About

Marineland (official name Marineland of Canada Inc.) is a closed themed zoo and amusement park in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada that operated from 1961 until 2024. It was founded and operated by John Holer, a Slovenian immigrant, from 1961 until his death in 2018. He started with one tank and built the operation into a major attraction and employer. The park had performing marine animal shows, exhibits of marine and land animals, and amusement rides. The marine mammals included dolphins, sea lions, and beluga whales. Until 2023, the park also kept walruses and orcas. The park also kept bears, deer and other land animals. After Holer's death, it was operated by his widow until her death in 2024, under public pressure to discontinue its marine exhibits. In 2024, it discontinued public viewing of its land animals. The park's keeping of marine mammals is controversial, and the park has been involved in several lawsuits related to the practice. The keeping of the sea mammals is opposed by animal rights activists, and Marineland has been the site of numerous animal rights demonstrations. The Canadian government passed a law to ban the practice of keeping belugas, while allowing Marineland...

As of 2018, Marineland housed approximately 4,000 land and marine animals and operated 19 theme park attractions. The park did not publicly disclose its annual attendance figures. Published amounts range from an estimated 250,000 to 500,000 people annually. Marineland was once a member of Canada's Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA), but voluntarily withdrew from CAZA in May 2017, stating it was expanding the area for animals and "will be continuing to work with CAZA to ensure that the expansion is successfully harmonized with CAZA principles".

In 2020 the facility did not open in spring as planned because of the restrictions required by the COVID-19 pandemic. The facility remained closed due to restrictions placed by the Government of Ontario. Marineland reopened for its 2022 season.

Following the death of John Holer in 2018, his widow, Marie Holer, took ownership of the park until her own death on September 6, 2024. The park has been for sale since at least 2023. All of the rides present in the park were closed as well as some of the exhibits featuring animals. In 2024, the park was only open for two months with a significant portion of the park remaining closed and admission being sold at reduced rates. The park did not open for the 2025 season.

Marineland kept beluga whales, bottlenose dolphins, grey seals, harbour seals, penguins and sea lions. The belugas are kept in Arctic Cove, Friendship Cove and King Waldorf Stadium. As of April 2026, Marineland has 30 beluga whales, 4 dolphins, 3 seals, and 2 sea lions stuck in abandoned tanks. Marineland at one time had several walruses and orcas.

Kiska was the last orca kept at Marineland until her death in 2023. She was nicknamed the World's Loneliest Orca because she spent the last 12 years of her life completely alone. Kiska was the last captive orca to be held in Canada as a result of the Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act.

In 2025, Marineland applied to the federal government for a permit to export all 30 of its remaining beluga whales to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom aquarium in China. On October 1, 2025, the Minister of Fisheries Joanne Thompson denied the request, saying that it would have meant the whales would continue life in captivity and return to public entertainment contrary to the Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act 2019. Marineland responded to the decision by asking the government for money to feed the whales saying that otherwise they would need to be euthanized. In addition to the whales, four dolphins, and a few seals and sea lions were the last remaining marine animals at the park as of October 2025. CBC News reported on February 27, 2026 that two sea lions had been relocated from Marineland to Vancouver Aquarium.

In addition to marine animals, Marineland also featured land animals, including black bears, deer, elk, and buffalo. In 2023, Marineland faced charges from the province of Ontario for providing inadequate care to their black bears under the Ontario Animal Welfare Services Act. Marineland was charged $85,000 in 2024 for failing to improve conditions for their black bears after the previous visit. Provincial inspectors concluded that these animals had minimal access to water, were being kept in unsuitable enclosures, and were unable to fulfill their psychological needs. The black bears were transported to an animal sanctuary in the United States in May 2026. By June 2026, the only remaining land animals were several hundred deer who were slowly being relocated from the park.

This is the more recent list of rides that Marineland possessed, including a pair of roller coasters and a large launched free fall. As Marineland has put them up for sale, it may no longer possess them.

Marineland kept beluga whales, bottlenose dolphins, grey seals, harbour seals, penguins and sea lions. The belugas are kept in Arctic Cove, Friendship Cove and King Waldorf Stadium. As of April 2026, Marineland has 30 beluga whales, 4 dolphins, 3 seals, and 2 sea lions stuck in abandoned tanks. Marineland at one time had several walruses and orcas.

Kiska was the last orca kept at Marineland until her death in 2023. She was nicknamed the World's Loneliest Orca because she spent the last 12 years of her life completely alone. Kiska was the last captive orca to be held in Canada as a result of the Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act.

In 2025, Marineland applied to the federal government for a permit to export all 30 of its remaining beluga whales to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom aquarium in China. On October 1, 2025, the Minister of Fisheries Joanne Thompson denied the request, saying that it would have meant the whales would continue life in captivity and return to public entertainment contrary to the Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act 2019. Marineland responded to the decision by asking the government for money to feed the whales saying that otherwise they would need to be euthanized. In addition to the whales, four dolphins, and a few seals and sea lions were the last remaining marine animals at the park as of October 2025. CBC News reported on February 27, 2026 that two sea lions had been relocated from Marineland to Vancouver Aquarium.

In addition to marine animals, Marineland also featured land animals, including black bears, deer, elk, and buffalo. In 2023, Marineland faced charges from the province of Ontario for providing inadequate care to their black bears under the Ontario Animal Welfare Services Act. Marineland was charged $85,000 in 2024 for failing to improve conditions for their black bears after the previous visit. Provincial inspectors concluded that these animals had minimal access to water, were being kept in unsuitable enclosures, and were unable to fulfill their psychological needs. The black bears were transported to an animal sanctuary in the United States in May 2026. By June 2026, the only remaining land animals were several hundred deer who were slowly being relocated from the park.

This is the more recent list of rides that Marineland possessed, including a pair of roller coasters and a large launched free fall. As Marineland has put them up for sale, it may no longer possess them.

The park was founded by John Holer, a Slovenian immigrant who had worked in circuses in Europe. Holer and a partner bought a portion of the Harry Oakes estate near the falls. The park opened in 1961 as Marine Wonderland and Animal Farm. Holer welded two large steel tanks together and brought in three sea lions and charged one quarter for admission and another to feed the animals. The attraction also featured an underwater show featuring two female swimmers. In 1963, a trained sea lion "Jeff" escaped from Marine Wonderland and made it to the Niagara River and went over the falls. Holer offered a CA$50 reward and organized a helicopter search. The seal was recaptured by Holer a few days later in Queenston, where it was found sunning itself with teenager Tommy Haines, who was given the reward. In 1964, Holer added two dolphins, along with a few other animals and the attraction became known as Marineland and Game Farm. By 1966, a 2,000-seat "aquatheatre" was completed along with a "grotto" of aquariums and shops. The grotto in the new Aquarium Dome contained eight tanks used to display fresh-water fish. The park became a popular family attraction and recorded an annual attendance of 250,000 for the 1967 season. In 1968, the park added alligators. Neighbouring attraction "Niagara Falls Indian Village" closed down after the 1968 season and Marineland purchased their property.

In 1971, Marineland added orcas. Kandu became the park's major attraction. In 1973, the aquarium purchased Kandy, a 4,000-pound (1,800 kg) female orca captured off Vancouver Island in 1973, to mate with Kandu, but she died later that year. Kandu lived until 1979 and was replaced by Nootka, captured and brought to the park in 1981. Nootka lived until 2008. By 1975, the park kept over 1,000 animals and claimed to be Niagara Falls' "most popular attraction after the falls." In 1975, Marineland became involved in a controversy over another orca captured off Vancouver Island. The capture of Kanduke by the Sealand of the Pacific aquarium of Victoria, British Columbia, for purchase by Marineland was blocked by the Government of British Columbia, at the instigation of Greenpeace activists. Claimed to be property by the BC government and resources by the Government of Canada, the orca eventually was transported to Marineland after it was determined that orcas were a resource under the control of the Canadian government. The incident led to the ending of the capture of orcas in British Columbia waters.

In 1976, Marineland announced a CA$50 million expansion on 1,000 adjacent acres, to include a 400-acre "safari park" and amusement centre. Construction began on a new 15,000-seat stadium and pool for killer whales. Marineland purchased two locomotives for a steam train railroad. When plans for Canada's Wonderland were announced, Holer decided to further increase the park's expansion plans, adding a Gothic castle, canals and the world's largest roller coaster, for a total cost of CA$80 million. The " Dragon Mountain " roller coaster opened in 1983 along with other rides. At a cost of CA$9 million, the roller coaster opened without CA$3 million reproductions of the American and Horseshoe falls, postponed to the future. In 1984, Holer announced the postponement of part of the expansion, citing an 86% increase in municipal property taxes, and threatened to move the facility across the river to the United States.

In 1982, Marineland purchased Keiko, a killer whale, from an aquarium in Hafnarfjörður, Iceland. Keiko started performing for the public and developed skin lesions indicative of poor health. He was then sold for $350,000 to Reino Aventura (now named Six Flags México ), an amusement park in Mexico City, in 1985. Keiko was the star of the movie Free Willy in 1993. After spending 1996–1998 at Oregon Coast Aquarium, Keiko was returned to a sea pen in Iceland and was released to the ocean in July 2002. He swam to Norway, eventually settling in the Taknes fjord in November 2002, where he was not catching fish and had little contact with wild Orcas; until his death, Keiko was fed daily by the Keiko Project group. Keiko died of pneumonia in December 2003.

In 2001, Marineland added walruses to the marine mammals it kept. The first walrus was Sonja, from the Moscow Zoo. It was joined by Zeus and Apollo two months later and Pandora, Buttercup and Buddy in 2002. Marineland added Smooshi and Azul in 2004. Sonja died in 2017, and Zeus died in 2018. In 2003, Marineland opened the "Arctic Cove" beluga whale exhibit. Beluga whales were held in Friendship Cove from May 30, 1999, until the opening of Arctic Cove in late 2003. Belugas returned to Friendship Cove in December 2008 following the importation of eight individuals. In 2014, several belugas were switched between Arctic Cove and Friendship Cove.

In 2004, Marineland opened the "Sky Screamer" triple tower ride. That same year, Marineland bought the Green Oaks Mobile Home Park across the street from the park with plans to relocate maintenance buildings to the site. In 2009, Marineland evicted 47 families that were tenants at the park. The tenants appealed to the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board, lost their case and were ordered off the property by March 2010. One tenant committed suicide while others continued to fight Marineland but had to leave in 2011. Holer was ordered to pay $11,000 each to several tenants for harassment.