Marineland dolphin dies at Spain aquarium, marking 5th death after rescue transfer

A dolphin shipped out of Marineland has died in Spain, making it the fifth animal from the closed Niagara Falls, Ont., tourist attraction to die after a massive movement of whales and dolphins over the summer.

Oceanogràfic de València said Echo, a blind Black Sea bottlenose dolphin believed to be 30 years old, died on Wednesday.

“In recent hours, Echo began experiencing difficulties swallowing and respiratory problems, and was transferred to the medical pool,” Oceanogràfic said in a statement.

“Her condition deteriorated rapidly throughout yesterday and, despite the care provided by Oceanografic’s animal care and veterinary teams, she passed away overnight.”

Echo, along with three other dolphins and two belugas, was sent to Oceanogràfic on Aug. 26 in an epic 19-hour voyage from the shuttered Niagara Falls, Ont., tourist attraction.

One of those belugas, Jelly Bean, died last week. 

Oceanogràfic is conducting necropsies on both animals, along with an examination by pathology experts at CEU Cardenal Herrera University, to try to understand the cause of death.

“The other four animals rescued from Canada are doing well and remain under the care and monitoring of Oceanogràfic’s professional teams,” Oceanogràfic said.

“Echo’s loss is an especially difficult moment for the Oceanogràfic team, who had been particularly dedicated to her care and well-being since her arrival due to her specific needs.”

Four belugas and one dolphin have now died since Marineland shipped out 30 belugas and four dolphins to five different parks over the summer.

Three of those belugas died at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, along with one of the park’s resident belugas.

WATCH | A total of 34 animals were relocated over the summer from Marineland:

Final Marineland whales moved to the U.S.

Marineland’s last six beluga whales, the last of the mammals in Canadian captivity, were moved from the closed theme park and flown to the U.S. Thirty whales and four dolphins have been relocated since July.

Aquariums investigate what caused animals’ deaths

Marineland closed in 2024 and has said it was running out of money and could no longer care for its whales. If they were not moved, the park was set to euthanize them.

Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson nixed a deal Marineland had with Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in China, saying it was not in the whales’ best interest to send them there.

She said China did not have the same laws as Canada, which banned whale and dolphin captivity in 2019, but grandfathered in Marineland’s animals.

In response, Marineland said it would euthanize the whales if it did not get emergency funding — a threat that made international headlines.

Marineland pivoted to a consortium of American and Spanish aquariums for help. The move of its whales and dolphins began in mid-July and wrapped up by the end of August.

Both Shedd and Oceanogràfic are investigating to better understand what caused the animals’ deaths.

Veterinarians from all parks were at Marineland in the months leading up to the move and cleared the animals for transport, as did Thompson, who signed off on the moves after receiving updated health information.