Marineland Niagara Falls Canada... the last season?
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- Опубліковано 23 сер 2024
- Marineland is a notorious theme park in Niagara Falls Canada. Accused of animal cruelty for decades, Marineland was found guilty, for the first time, in 2024. The park has recently been sold to a new owner and it finally opened for the season at the end of June with extremely limited offerings. I went to check it out and see what state the park and it's animals were in.
As a child I loved this place every summer it used to be so packed with people and full of life it's sad hearing about the horrible treatment of the animals over the years. I'm glad it has new owners and I hope they have deep pockets and can turn this into strictly a theme park without animals. The potential here is limitless as there is almost 3 times more land than Canadas Wonderland I believe! Great job on this video!
Totally agree. So much potential here. Thanks for watching!
Canadas Wonderland is way better then marineland
@@glasbo if your daughter wants thrills take her to canadas wonderland not marineland
Totally agree, they have so much land, it's unfortunate that it was not better utilized. Although with the new owners not even keeping the existing rides running, including the brand new ride (star voyager) things are not looking good.
@@zachguest8565I personally have never been to Marineland and this will be a good replacement until I am legally allowed to back to Canada's Wonderland.
Im majoring in animal biology and I think I can explain the dolphin “performance”::
The dolphins were more than likely performing because that’s all they know. When you teach an animal to do something like that and at the same time, participate in a daily routine for basically their whole lives, the animal will tend to never forget the taught behaviour and schedule. If you deviate from that schedule to much, or if you stop “cold turkey”, it can really screw up an animals daily life and behaviour. Some animals will even attempt to perform whatever it is that they’ve been taught by themselves. Reasons like this are why examples like parrots keep talking, or your dog/cat knows exactly when you’re going to wake up in the morning are a thing. They were “performing” infront of a crowd more than likely because those people just happened to show up, or someone spread word that the animals were doing something
I also love the excuse I used to hear about the whales being kept in small tanks: “whales live in pods in the ocean!”
Yes.. they do live in pods. IN THE OCEAN. Last time I checked, the ocean is a lot bigger than a tank on land
Edit - spelling
That’s amazing insight thank you! I have a question.. at one point one of the dolphins went to the bottom of the pool and just sat there. I wasn’t sure what that was about. Any thoughts?
@@glasbo no problem :) and nope no insight for that, I guess the dolphin may have just been tired and needed a break. They’re freakishly intelligent and can tell when their bodies have had enough or if they’re feeling overwhelmed by something. It must be tiring for them, putting in the effort to jump straight up and out of the water like that over and over, while also doing things like mid-air flipping
Edit - on a sadder note, the dolphin may have gone under the water and stayed there because it was hungry or in pain as well and it wanted to remove itself from the routine before it began hurting more, but I prefer to think of the first “maybe the dolphin just needed a break” thought
This was my daughter's favorite amusement park when she was a young girl. We used to go there twice a year. I'm sorry it's closed. It offered so much fun. The Dauphin show was amazing. My daughter loved feeding deers.
Free Willy 🐬
I once majored as an employee at Marineland & and I personally knew some of the trainers. I can explain the dolphins "performance". The dolphins were "performing" because they were taking direction from the trainers hand signals and were then given rewards.
I’m from Toronto as well and I went to Marineland as a kid. I used to sing along to the commercials and didn’t really think there was anything wrong with the place until I was an adult. My cousin lives on a tropical island with all kinds of marine life. So when we went on vacation to a city seeing a dolphin a small enclosure looking sad, my cousin spoke about how she hated it and was cruel to keep them like that. For me, this was one of the moments I realized that I don’t like seeing animals in kept in captivity and that the people sometimes won’t take care of them properly
I live in Niagara Falls, grew up growing there too. My dad’s Jamaican and we stayed there a couple of times for vacation. I was about 8 and I remember feeling so sad for the tropical animals back home when I’d see dolphins out in the sea, and I promised to one that I’d one day buy MarineLand to make the whole place better for them, a real big tank. If I did ever own MarineLand now, I wouldn’t stick to the big tank plan, but I’d make the place more of a themepark and chance to see Canadian animals; but free range ones.
I meant that we stayed a couple of times in Jamaica, lol. Didn’t make much sense!
From buffalo, same exact thing. When I was a kid I knew it was summer when I heard there commercial you would get excited.. know I feel guilty about it tbh, what you learn as an adult can definitely change your outlook on your childhood
The dolphins enclosed areas are large enough for them to swim and enjoy the easy life. Marineland provides everything they need, food, water and love. In return don't you think the mammals and animals should provide something back like entertainment and the pleasure and joy for us to see them. There is nothing wrong with that. The hard life for them is if they were in the wilderness hunting for their own food or be hunted and killed by other animals. If Marineland needs to correct some things, they should have the right and not close down.
@@domr3978 That would be true if that’s what they actually did tho. The only time they have fixed anything is when it finally made it to the news and there was outcry. Tell me they care about animals with headlines like this “Sixteen beluga whales and one killer whale have died at the park since 2019, The Canadian Press has learned through freedom-of-information requests and other sources. One bottlenose dolphin, one harbour seal, one grey seal and two California sea lions have also died during that time, the province has said.” CBC March 2024
I remember going as a kid (10ish) and was shocked by the lack of care of the animals. The black bear feeding area was particularly bad. Ice cream cones filled with mini-marsh mellows being sold as bear food. The public would throw down the marsh mellows into a concrete container filled w/ 20= bears. You could tell the bears were mal-nourished, their lips and mouths were stretched and disfigured; not a memory of my childhood I want to keep.
Absolutely heartbreaking. I remember this vividly as a child and remember knowing that it didn’t seem right 😢
What a horrifying image
yep i remember that too, and the deer that follow people around starving for food
@cottoncandykawaii2673 yep, it's the deer that stick with me
The owners did say they feed the bears and animals just enough but not too much or they become too fat. I remember seeing the 🐻 all huddled in a pool looking up at us like begging for food or for help to get out. They seem overcrowded and it didn't seem normal for them to live in captivity like that. It was sad and hope they've been freed.
My mom used to work at Marineland when I was a kid. I loved the place so much when I was younger but when I got older and long after my mom had stopped working there she became vocal about how much she hated Marineland and how awful the animals were treated there whenever Marineland was mentioned. My mom, a former Marineland employee, thinks the place should be shut down. I think they should've saved their reputation years ago, stopped keeping animals, and just went full rides. It's so much beautiful unused land, I remember loving the grassy areas and seeing all the trees. Something good could be done with that place, especially under new ownership
bro same here. my mom worked the ticket stand
@Eeveeleafz If she didn't like how animals were treated, why she didn't stop working there after 1 week or 1 month????
@@NinaL-zu3rk My mom was a young single mother living in her mother’s basement trying to make a living. Idk how long she worked there, I just remember she worked at an ice cream stand. Honestly for all I know she could’ve just worked there for a month. But she worked there probably mid or late 2000’s so does it really matter? She wasn’t there long but long enough to know how they treat the animals
@Eeveeleafz I've visited Marine land tens of times and never seen animals mistreated. I'm wondering how people working in restaurants, ice cream or ticket stands could see animal abuse????
@@NinaL-zu3rk you really think visiting is the same as working somewhere.. you're really dense
They may not be putting on a show. But it is mentally engaging for the dolphins which are incredibly intelligent. It probably gives them some sort of challenge or interaction. Instead of going crazy in a tank.
You're spot on. People complain but their training sessions are likely the healthiest part of these animals' day. I'm a wildlife biologist and I've done some work with marine mammals in public aquaria. Their training is their mental exercise and it's every bit as important as physical activity. Arguably a little more, as an animal can do better in smaller quarters with more stimulation than in larger ones with less
Went as a teenager decades ago poor in one vision and blind in the other eye was DISGUSTED at how dirty it was back then. Amazied at how long legal issues have dragged on for too. NOT everyone loves Marineland.
I liked it
I grew up hearing the commercials for Marineland here in WNY. I never went but I’m glad to see video of it at least. Thanks!
I wrote a scathing letter to the President almost three decades ago with no response of course. I went there when I was a kid, but hated seeing the animals beg for food. I used to scuba dive near there on the Niagara River. Every time a family was lost in their direction, they would come to ask me while we got ready for the dive. I refused to give them directions and my husband always said "Oh you are asking the wrong person". Out of all the protests over the years, I don't understand why nothing has happened. Also, what is going to happen to the marine life there?
You do understand this is CANADA? We don't have any President.
Well since Canada has a prime minister and MarineLand is a Canadian business on Canadian soil of course the president wouldn't reply. Not that either replies to the public about such things
@@SohiHien Try again, and try making sense this time. Just what the hell do you think the Prime Minister has to do with a private enterprise???
I grew up in the Niagara Region and I've been there a lot throughout my childhood years in the early 80's. I remember those huge walkways being packed with people,, the restaurant seating area inside and out being packed, people eating on the grassy areas, long ride line ups... It's definitely odd to see it so dead now. It would be nice if Six Flags bought it and made it into another theme park like Wonderland but with the two parks being only 90 minutes away from one another I doubt that would happen. I see residential developments in the future for that land.
Wonderland could use some competition considering how stupidly expensive it is now.
To be fair, that part of Canada is populated enough to sustain two amusement parks. With nearly 10 million people in the Golden Horseshoe (or 1/4 of Canada's population) you can easily have two good amusement parks.
@@history_loves_anime8927 EXACTLY
The dolphins were performing because they were taking direction from hand signals and rewards given to them by the "trainers".
The dolphins enclosed areas are large enough for them to swim and enjoy the easy life. Marineland provides everything they need, food, water and love. In return don't you think the mammals and animals should provide something back like entertainment and the pleasure and joy for us to see them. There is nothing wrong with that. The hard life for them is if they were in the wilderness hunting for their own food or be hunted and killed by other animals. If Marineland needs to correct some things, they should have the right and not close down.
@@domr3978 you're a clown.
I never visited Marineland. I live in Edmonton and was just too far away. But I did get commercials for it on cable TV as a kid. Despite not knowing a thing about the park, I remember the Marineland jingle and that drop tower thing.
I went to marineland two years ago and it was super dead, I think I rode dragon mountain 5 times in a row. The animals were super sad to see and the overpopulated carp lake was crazy. I think the craziest thing I’ve seen there is the swoose (swan and goose hybrid). also marineland has two beluga wale holdings, arctic and friendship. Friendship used to hold kiska but I guess it’s now just beluga wales.
Went in the 80s a few times with my family when I was a kid. I remember feeding a polar bear mini marshmallows from a vending machine. It was probably 28 degrees Celsius that day and the bear was in a concrete pit with a swimming pool. Seemed very wrong and was when I started not liking zoos either. I'll be glad to see Marine Land go.
@chadpescod-realtor3308 You do know where polar bears live right? How cold do you think it is in the Arctic Circle?
@@BuriedUnkind You do know what Celsius is, right? 28 Celsius is around 83 degrees Fahrenheit.
@ BuriedUnkind @barryhayes7164, idk which one of you is saying 20-something degrees Celsius is cold, but it’s def not. That’s considered warm where I live, and polar bears in that heat is plain torture. If they’re dying in northern Canada because of climate change raising the temperature higher, and much lower than the 20s, then expecting them to thrive in that weather is so stupid… and that’s common sense. Sorry for butting in, just had to set the record straight. I too saw polar bears there and saw how disgusting it is.
Polar bears have a thick layer of blubber and black, heat trapping skin. Their fur is only white to blend in with the snow. They die from the excruciating heat down here in Niagara… they were built for freezing cold temperatures.
Difference is zoos, specifically those in major cities, are often accredited by the AZA and serve a vital role in wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and conservation. They're run by educated career experts in the biological sciences. The vast majority are nonprofit.
Marineland is a for-profit theme park, not a conservation-based zoological facility. They serve two different missions and have very different implications for the animals. Marineland in its wildest dreams couldn't meet AZA standards which should, in my opinion as a wildlife biologist, outright disqualify them from owning any marine mammals let alone cetaceans. The modern zoo experience constantly seeks to improve while Marineland is still stuck in the 70s
great video !!! well produced, great editing, and great narration. You did a lot of research on this topic and it was super informative. Thanks for sharing ! I wanted to see how Marineland is doing these days as I went here every summer growing up. Sad to see the state it’s in, but happy the animals are gone. Keep up the great work man !
Thank you so much! I figured other locals like myself would be curious about the state of things at Marineland. Glad you enjoyed it!
Was considering Marineland as a place to visit this summer with my family as I have many happy memories from my childhood. Looking at their website, with so many sections closed I thought the park was just renovating. Happy I stumbled upon your video before actually making that trip as reality appears to be much worse, thank you!
This was such a good video! I’m from southern Ontario but have actually never been to Marineland. The commercials were iconic ✨ seeing it open in this half abandoned state is so fascinating. It will be interesting to see what becomes of the park and the property.. it’s gotta be worth a ton of money and the possibilities are endless, but the potential of a geographically inappropriate development makes me a little nervous about it too
I've lived in this city for almost a decade and have never been. Even if they built another theme park there it'd be great, anything would be better than Marineland!
It wouldn't surprise me if they level the whole thing and turn it into employee parking for whatever clifton hill or chain hotel businesses are willing to pay the most to rent it.... I can also see a possible GO bus stop as well...
IMHO , the SPCA should get a good chunk of it to use for a free run dog park/catio but the family is quite greedy and underhanded , if I remember correctly , so I doubt it... lol itll probably end up being a McDonald's/tim hortons or a fuckin Big Bee hahaha
The dolphins enclosed areas are large enough for them to swim and enjoy the easy life. Marineland provides everything they need, food, water and love. In return don't you think the mammals and animals should provide something back like entertainment and the pleasure and joy for us to see them. There is nothing wrong with that. The hard life for them is if they were in the wilderness hunting for their own food or be hunted and killed by other animals. If Marineland needs to correct some things, they should have the right and not close down.
It always saddens me to see these once great and popular parks reach the end of their lifespan.
Hello from the land of the Ogopogo! I just discovered you and your channel today, and I remember the Marineland jingle quite well as a 40yro! When I was younger in Penticton BC, there was a place called the Penticton Game Farm. Well much like Marineland, the place was going downhill fast! The last time I went, I was 8yrso! It's horrible how some places start with some sort of good intentions, but end up with more greedy people running them into the ground! It's just sad....😢
One interesting thing to note is that former owner John Holler donated funds to the Niagara SPCA, with a plaque out front noting the donation. Known only to those who worked there, this was done with the understanding that the SPCA would stop responding to calls at Marine Land. Rest assured, the poor treatment of all animals there, was always intentional.
Happy to find your channel! As a niagara local its really cool to see your perspectives!
Great to hear thanks!
I can’t wait until Marineland eventually becomes Universal Studios Niagara Falls!
Your take around 3 minutes in is one of the most level headed arguments that I've been making for social change.
Damn eh? Went there pretty much annually as a kid. My grandpa would bring the whole family there and chill with Walter Ostanek over lunch. He also dragged me onto Dragon Mountain which is the first inverted coaster I ever went on. Those are the memories that first come to me of the place.
It's been going downhill for 20yrs+ though. The Beluga exhibit felt too small to me even when it opened for such massive animals. "Deerschwitz" was always pretty somber as they hid in the shade and seemed to get their entire meals from guests. The smaller rides were often closed, and it just looked more and more run down every year.
Still have some great memories there and it's kinda sad to see it in its current state. I still think it could be a decent competitor to Canada's Wonderland if someone is willing to dump a lot of $$$ into it. Couple more rollercoasters and a waterpark might get the place going nicely.
pity that cw got rid of the skycoaster after 2023. La Ronde in Montreal is in a even worse shape. Closed rides, Fenched off areas and boarded up shops.
@@Canleaf08 sending Skyrider and Jetscream to Marineland would have been a pretty good idea. The way things are going now it will be all condos in 20yrs.
The dolphins enclosed areas are large enough for them to swim and enjoy the easy life. Marineland provides everything they need, food, water and love. In return don't you think the mammals and animals should provide something back like entertainment and the pleasure and joy for us to see them. There is nothing wrong with that. The hard life for them is if they were in the wilderness hunting for their own food or be hunted and killed by other mammals or animals. If Marineland needs to correct some things, they should have the right and not close down.
I’ve never been to Marine Land and I’ve always wanted to go, however after seeing the news one day, specifically: Ottawa, 6/10/19: Canada made history today with the passing of Bill S-203: Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act. Bill S-203 will prohibit breeding, imports, exports and live captures of whales, dolphins and porpoises across Canada, building on Ontario’s Bill 80, which was passed on May 28, 2015. Now I don’t want to help fund this illegal operation!
When it was socially acceptable I was a child. I knew trapping these beautiful animals in bathtubs was wrong long before I reached adulthood… I have been waiting for this park to shut down for decades now. My daughter is 5 and knows about this place but I have taught her seeing these beautiful animals is a gift, a privilege and should be done in the wild when appropriate. She absolutely understands this because I have taught her about the whales themselves. I do not feel the need to go back to a literal graveyard and would never expose my child to that type of environment because now it’s not socially acceptable. Now there is no excuse for going
WOW people are stupid to think Marineland is bad for animals and mammals. Marineland provides everything they need, food, water, shelter and love. In return how can it be wrong if they are trained to entertain you and are in areas for us to see them with joy and pleasure. There is nothing wrong about that. You would think the animals and mammals should give something back in return because they are living the easy life where all their needs are being provided. They don't need extremely large environments to walk and run around, their environments are more than good enough in size. Bring back the shows. As for those bears being crammed in a space. I could bet the area where they lived in was large enough for them to enjoy their easy going life where they never have to hunt for their food or possibly be shot in the forest. If that space needed to big larger, then they can correct that. The hate and anger is so over blown that it is ridiculous. Some animals died there as he said. Yes that can happen, animals and humans die in the millions all the time. They are not being abused, they are providing an easy life for them and I think animal rights groups and people need to lose and end their hate and should realize Marineland is doing nothing wrong. If they need to correct things, they should have the right to without closing down.
How anyone in this day and age could go to such a place and support it, I will never understand. If ones stop going, they will close. I hope it closes forever. I sadly also went to Bird Kingdom in Niagara Falls and was very upset at that place and the conditions the animals were kept in. I was upset for weeks after going there. These two pitiful blue jays in a small cage with a plastic Christmas tree to sit on. A tortoise with only a few square feet to crawl in. Bats in a very small area. A parrot with nearly no feathers on its wings. It was awful, yet I'm sure they'd be the first to say they are following all laws. They likely are, but the bar is set very low. I was only ever to Marineland once as a child in the 1970's. I'd never go as an adult. These sorts of attractions are no kind of life for any animal. Those poor creatures have miserable, unnatural lives living in such places.
I grew up in the Falls, and let me preface my comment by saying I am hardly and 'old timer'. I do remember, however the original attraction in the little dome with the spire that had only the sea lions. I recall it costing about a dime to go in. They always had some deer and a few bears. To see John Holer's vision grow and come to life was amazing. The likely millions of people that enjoyed the venue through the years, as well as the contribution Marineland mad to the local economy and thousands of people that were employed there cannot be understated. Unfortunately, times and society changes and it outlived it's heyday. Similarly the 'Indian Village' that was next door, and if you don't remember either of these, hold your comments as you have no ground to stand on.
The "show" you caught would have been an enrichment session. Contrary to what animal rights activists claim, asking the animals to do complex behaviours-such as seen in actual shows-is actually vital to their mental and physical wellbeing when in human care. For the animal it's actually more like playtime. Taking that away hurts them, which is what happened to Kiska in her final years. Then the activists cried that all she did was swim in circles. Well yeah, they made it illegal for her to do anything else.
Also: Arctic Cove is a different part of the park that also has belugas.
Interesting! Thanks for the info.
I don't think we should be encouraging people to visit, this place needs to shut down. If people keep going they'll keep the doors open till they're forced to close.
I also think it's perfectly acceptable for us to hate and judge Marineland now even if we supported in the past. A good portion probably have fond memories of visiting as a child. We didn't understand this place was foul. But now we know the truth, so hate away I say.
I don't think we should support the place and we can hate it. But i am worried about how they're able to take care of them, since there isn't money going into the place and if they shut down, is there even a plan in place for the the animals or will they just put them all down?
With all the development going on in the Niagara Falls area over the last few years, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Marineland was soon sold off to a real estate developer and replaced with a new housing subdivision. The land is way more valuable than the income generated by a dying theme park.
Not really, trashy attractions and excessive tourist traffic have always made NF undesirable for real estate.
@@ironhell813 Not to be be argumentative, but I have to disagree. ALL prime real estate in southern Ontario is immensely valuable. It has nothing to do with "trashy attractions" or excessive tourist traffic. And if they got rid of Marineland, that would be one less trashy attraction to worry about. As for excessive traffic, I live in the Greater Toronto Area and I can tell you that if you want to see excessive traffic you should just come to the GTA for a couple of days. You'd RUN back to the Falls. Trust me, I used to live there and I loved it. I only live in the GTA now because my job is here. If I could somehow transfer back to the Falls and live in a nice new house built on land that was once the home of Marineland, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
The city won’t allow it to be developed into housing, part of the deal when it was sold last year was that it’s zoned for entertainment and that won’t change. Whatever replaces MarineLand will be some type of tourist attraction. Rumor was Hershend was the buyer, which would make upgrading rides and creating a solid amusement park is possible.
@@MrCusefan44 Interesting. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.
It’s sobering to see this video honestly. Some of my favourite memories as a kid were from marine land, I was a huge animal lover and still am, petting the belugas was one of the most exciting experiences i could recall. Knowing in hindsight the treatment of the animals it hurts to know that they were in such poor conditions, which is why seeing it all scaled down is such a weirdly good sight. Way less animals and no shows to stress them out with. This park was a product of its time, I’ll never forget wanting to be an animal trainer as a result of watching these shows or going to that now abandoned gift shop to buy an inflatable whale. Crazy how empty the park is now but thats definitely for the better, I hope that the area is turned into something better for the public. Seeing others making videos saying that this theme park is “strange” feels like its missing so much context thats close to my heart, and it would be nice if kids had a new opportunity to have a theme park that doesnt come with animal abuse
I completely agree with your divided side on the ethical morality on Marine Land, and enjoying the joy in your daughter's eyes in experiencing Marine Land for the first time. I had a very volatile childhood, but my parents bringing me to Marine Land was the most memorable childhood memories I remember. And it is devastating and sad to see Marine Land being a deteriorating memory in 2024. But also seeing Marine Land as an adult seeing how cruel and immoral Marine Land was. It's very confusing and a mix of emotions.
Nice to hear someone sees it the way I do. Thanks for reaching out.
Hey Mark great job from Vaughan, Ontario I subbed I noticed Marineland going downhill from 2018 not many people going there also only brought the kids for the rides more than anything else its ashame that this park has gone downhill....My last trip was last year and it was literally dead last year and I noticed neglect with Park maintenance and the workers looked depressed last year same workers from 2018 I remembered some faces....I was there last year and prior to last year I noticed it go downhill in 2018 but it was worse last year than any other year,,,,good video as there is really no point of going there I got Wonderland passes as I live 10 minutes away.
Being a Toronto born kid in the 90's / early 2000's this place will always be a fun and nostalgic memory despite what we know now. I'll probably never be able to forget the TV jingle and will cherish the memories I have attending when this place was in its heyday. As someone who will likely never attend again thank you for this.
Cool video but sad to see what’s happened to the park. I used to visit during the summers crossing over from western New York. Summer never officially started until we saw the first couple Marineland commercials on CKWS.
So sad had a lot of wonderful memories of Marineland
So very true . ... But I'd bet that just as how it happened to me , once you grew up , were in your mid 20's and became privy to all ML's dirty lies and absolute BLATENT cruelty it hit a whole lot different 🐬🦭
🤔😒🤢🤮😪😔🤯😵💫😵
I worked there summer 2001 and saw some traumatizingly , heartbreaking shit and don't even get me started about the appalling behavior and flippant attitudes 😒
I ended up quitting about 6 wks before lay offs due to being singled out and ruthlessly gossiped about , severely bullied and on multiple occasions in front of customers was mocked , laughed at and brought to tears 😢 by the useless wagons/animal feed hut 🛖 supervisor Wendy...
We were all fucking miserable ffs 😤 Being kind costs you nothing and the rewards can be endless!
As someone else here motioned, I truly hope that this new owner can turn this place into a sole amusement park with NO animals in captivity. There is so much space, and so much potential this land could be used for.
Can’t believe i didn’t stumble upon your channel before, amazing content, subbed!
The park was purchased by another company two months ago which is why none of the rides are operating.
They weren’t certified for the season.
The Park is not shutting down, it was sold to a company that has major plans to develop build a real amusement park
The new owner plans to re-theme the park and remove the animals. Stay tuned the next five years they Have big plans for that property.
Wow! You are an amazing photographer and videographer! Great video! I've never been to Marineland and I'm somewhat glad I haven't.
The dolphins and animals enclosed areas are large enough for them to swim, walk, run and enjoy the easy life. Marineland provides everything they need, food, water, shelter and love. In return don't you think the mammals and animals should provide something back in return like entertain us and the pleasure and joy for us to see them. There is nothing wrong with that. Humans always entertain because they get something back in return but animals and mammals shouldn't?, thats BS. The hard life for them is if they were in the wild hunting for their own food or be hunted and killed by other mammals or animals, or shot by hunters. If Marineland needs to correct some things if necessary, they should have the right and not close down. As for the animals who have died there, endless animals and people die all the time, it is not their fault.
Damn! You should really have more subs! I was surprised to see a relatively small channel behind this video. I'm in ontario as well, just subbed!
Thanks I appreciate that!
I just hope that there is enough money coming in to take care of the animals that still live there. Sadly they can't be returned to the wild so will need to be taken care of until the remaining ones pass. This would be the only reason I would go back to Marineland - to help fund the care of the animals - not for any kind of performance. I must admit though - it's crazy to see the park so empty now compared to its hey day. The amusement park section seems to be completely shut down as well.
Back in the 90's, Marineland was amazing. Now, they should just relocate the remaining animals, and close shop. Nothing good lasts forever.
This is an amazing video. As you keep making these high quality videos, I'm sure you're on your way to much more subscribers and a success in your UA-cam endeavors🎉
That’s super nice of you to say, thank you!
Dude, I work there as a 13-year-old. That was my first job. Hard work for 13-year-old working in the restaurant(don’t remember what it’s called) but I did meet a couple cool people there. When I worked there, there were still a substantial amount of people coming, but nothing like when I was a kid for sure.
I was born and raised in Niagara and still live here today. I can't count how many times I went to Marineland as a kid. Respectfully, they will not get a single penny off of me as an adult. Can you imagine if we all started going back, even for nostalgia purposes? What kind of message would that be sending. Honestly, the best thing is for this place to be closed for good as soon as possible and try to give those poor animals the best life they can at this point, and since being raised in captivity their whole lives, really wouldn't even be much.
As someone who came to Canada in winter 2011, I didn’t grow up going to Marineland, and still, that tv jingle quickly became to me the sign that summer was upon us (with the joy that brings).
It’s definitely a bit of a trip to see this in comparison to the commercials that were burned into my memory as a kid. I live under 2 hours from there and I think I went once as a kid but it’s been so long I’d have to confirm that with my parents. It’s still oddly bittersweet but definitely for the better overall. While it’s state definitely seems mostly due to a shift in the cultural zeitgeist towards how animals in these parks are kept and treated I also have to wonder if the Ripley’s aquarium in Toronto has played a little bit into its downfall? Especially with Canada’s wonderland close enough to replace the theme park aspect if you’re playing tourist in the area.
It's a great piece of property that could be repurposed to an indoor/outdoor water park facility with accommodations. Sadly no investors would be interested in that idea
The company I work for has been there multiple times for their water lines breaking. The infrastructure of this place is failing.
Last I heard, the owner was trying to sell the property but had a clause in there that said whoever buys it must keep it as marine land and not tear it down to build houses or buildings.
In the 70's and early 80s I spent summers with my uncle and aunt. They had a house on dixon st. My uncle was the train engineer for CN rail that went right through the middle of the park. He would bring my sister and me to work, and we would hop off the slow-moving train inside the park.
I'm glad they are closing now. I feel guilt for enjoying it as a child, knowing now for years how terrible this place was to its animals. My kids, who are 25 and 30, have never been.
I think the last time I was at that park was when before I started highschool. Thanks for going to give an update on the current state of things.
they had the chances to update and make this place great agian because the place became very outdated
It should have closed a long time ago. And other parks have breeding facilities in other countries. It’s shameful.
My parents took me to marine land once at 5. It was packed, but I have one of my favourite pictures my mother took of my brother at 1, myself and my father on the stands before the killer whale/dolphin show. Then afterwards on the chaos on the walk down afterwards I got separated from my parents. First and only time I ever got "lost." We never went back due to the crowds and lack of security in 1979. I was literally shoved and ripped from my father's hand going down the ramps to the bottom. I was crying for 10 minutes, and a police officer found me checking for open doors. Marine land had alot of problems then, and watching the video brought back memories. Now as an adult, with boys in their 20s, we decided to never return due to a lack of security, and vast areas that still held large pockets where children could get swept away by the crowds. Or taken by bad people. This park is stuck in the 70s. I hope the animals are treated with the dignity and love they deserve. By NEW people, somewhere else.
Wow. So well put! I love your perspective and honestly I didn't think there was anyone else out there who thought like me. Like yes, of course it's sad to see. But it's also amazing to see. I live in Niagara falls, and when I was a kid we all got season passes and I spent most of my summer roaming the park with my friends. We made friends with many of the ride attendants, met up with other school friends, and many core memories were made there.
I now have two young kids of my own and I've been flip-flopping on whether I want to bring them or not, since it will likely be their only time ever to see a whale or dolphin behind glass (which is good) but if they're swimming around in circles anyway, might as well go and experience it while it's available, knowing that their time there is thankfully coming to an end.
Also it's amazing to see the water park in such disrepair because in my mind it's still brand new. Crazy.
So glad you connected with what I said! I knew I wasn't alone lol. Even though the water park was looking a little rough around the edges, my daughter didn't care, she just had fun. Thanks for watching!
We actually had season tickets to Marine land because it worked out cheaper than a day pass, go twice and you already saved a bunch of money. We liked the fact that you could bring your own cooler with food in it so you didn't have to purchase their expensive food. As for the animal portion I feel for the animals , if they were orphaned or on the brink of extinction and the park was trying to bring them back I would be all for it like most zoo's do. It's sad to see the whales and dolphins just swimming in tanks.
The last time I went to Marineland was 11 years ago. My husband convinced me our kids (1 and 4 at the time) would enjoy it and it would be good family fun. The park was so sad back then. The indoor dolphin show building from my childhood had been converted into a walrus and seal "retirement center" where the obviously unwell animals were simply being housed until they died. There were a decent amount of people as there was still a themepark, resturaunt, dolphin show, and you could feed and get photos with the orcas and belugas, yet the park felt comically huge. The deer park was closed...of course there was no indication until you trudged all the way to the gate. It was heartbreaking then and even more so seeing this footage now. As a kid with dreams of being a marine biologist and orca trainer, seeing the size (and current state) of the tanks with adult eyes really makes me wonder how this was ever ok...
I went there yesterday, the workers said that due to boycott they cannot run the park properly anymore, it's really sad.. half of the park is closed and the parking lots are completely empty because there is nothing to do there anymore. They are going to probably sell it until it shutdowns in August. So sad, they could of kept their animals safe, they really fell off.
My parents thought it was cruel growing up, I loved Orca's so much and wanted to go so badly. I am now so happy that my parents stood up to me for what's right.
The only time I was there my wife and I saw a dead deer. We were told it had been dead since Thursday (this was a Saturday) and that the crew responsible for it were off till Monday. Everything about the place just made us cringe more and more. We left after a couple of hours feeling sick for the animals and heartbroken that humans could be so disgusting. We called our MPP's office to report some of the things we had seen and were called back a few days later only to be told that they were following regulations so there was nothing that could be done. The only thing that I am glad of is now everyone had a camera on their phones to document places like this and get them shut down!
Even as a kid 40 years ago I found zoos and aquariums really odd and sad. I always felt bad for the animals.
My grade school used to do class day trips to marine land for grades 4 and 5, all the way from Hamilton!
I doubt that is still happening these days.
They need to get rid of all animals and make it a huge water/amusement park like wonderland .
Where do you send the animals? Keep in mind that many of the whales and other animals that died are buried on the grounds. You'll have to excavate and remove all of it.
I think everyone still has a spot in their hearts for Marineland. But like everything today nothing is for the greater good no more, surely not for the animals and the innocent children who want to have fond memories of what we used to have going to Marineland, now it's just for cooperate greed to squeeze out as much money from people and the park's assets at the expense of mistreating the animals. Let's face Marineland must go.
everyone loves animal right activists everyone hates marineland everyone loves canadas wonderland
I’m shocked Marineland still has live animals. I figured it was just down to its few rides and water park… Then again, it wouldn’t surprise me if their rides had all kinds of safety issues as well
The last time I was there was 1989 on our grade 7 field trip to niagara falls. It was just not enjoyable for kids that age then. Our whole class ended up just sitting by the exit eventually waiting for the time to leave.
All I can really remember is a deer mounting a kid to steal the deer food he had. At a place that had so much more back then its weird that all that sticks out is a deer at a marine park. I remember the rest of the trip pretty clearly even the educational war of 1812 stops.
The problem is the animals will now live/die completely alone! They have abandoned and neglected the animals they left in the US. I hope it doesn't happen here.
~🎶everybody loves Marineland🎶~
As soon as I saw this video in my recommended I literally could not stop myself, it’s so embedded into my brain
I think of you to say we can't hate as we contributed to the Parks success. Gaining information and changing your position on a topic is totally acceptable. Most of us didn't know of how bad the park was to animals until the social media era truly exposed it above and beyond the accusations.
Man... that was depressing ! I remember going there as a kid when I was about 10 years old... I absolutely loved the place ! (That was in the early 90s, before that animal cruelty scandal became known to everyone.) So, seeing that place fall from grace is... sadening.
I think there is a way to run these types of parks in the most humane (even socially acceptable) way possible. Rescue animals that can’t survive in the wild, their offspring and most importantly, the best care and treatment in the world.
I think of animals in captivity and think about their plight and also the good they do. By giving our kids these experiences they learn to value and want to protect what’s in the wild.
I think marineland will be houses and commercial buildings inside 10 years.
Well said, thanks Trevor. It would be cool to see a new theme park but you’re probably right about it becoming housing/ commercial space.
@@glasbo everyone loves Animal rights Activists Everyone hates Marineland Everyone loves Canadas Wonderland
I lived in Sauga city for a while in 2018 and never considered to going to Marineland. I first traveled to Niagara falls in 2007 and there were other things to see and to do. The radio ads were annoying as hell.
I used to work as a Mechanic at Marineland. I worked there a year prior to John's death. I witnessed him crash his car inside the park and assisted in rescuing him out of it. I couldn't help but feel pity at that point, what may have seemed like a dream for him was now a prison... just like his animals. The park was inherited to his wife and son, and last I heard, they were running without intentions of selling. When I was there, thry started working on an expansion in the furthest part of the land. There was talks of a haunted house and transitioning to a water park. I wish that took off because their rides were decent and could have used more focus as the main attractions.
Interesting insight, thanks for sharing.
Keep it up man, we need more Canadian channels like this.
Thanks man!
It's almost like, the park is only open to be able to "take care" of the animals, and they're off setting the costs of doing so, by opening the park.
Considering all the rides and restaurant are closed, other than water, and electricity, their running costs have to be minimal
Like most kids, I grew up with Marineland, one of my favourite places to visit. Had it not been for them, I'd never have fed and pet a killer whale (Hudson) or a beluga. Then, seeing them in their natural habitat, I finally realized how wrong it was to keep them in captivity, and I was part of the problem. I'm glad they no longer have animals, but I am also extremely grateful for some wonderful memories the park gave me. I am very sorry for the way the animals were treated, even that damn deer that insisted on eating my shirt. It would be nice to see the park open as a Wonderland type without the animals. But a chance to bring new memories for families to come and share there.
Went there as a kid in the 80s. I understand and totally agree with shutting down the animal performances, but why not keep the rides open and expand on that?
Why shutting down the animal performances? You support having pets, don't you? Even though a large percentage of pets live in inadequate conditions.
My parents took us here as kids because my siblings and I were obsessed with whales and dolphins (probably in 2000). I still remember my mom asking where they put the whales at night. She was shocked at how small the tanks were. We got to meet and pet a beluga whale. About a week later, we read an article in the newspaper about the beluga dying.
I think the best bellwether for something like this is if they are part of the AZA. Marine land was not able to meet these standards. From what I understand they were unable to take part in the SSP programs which is a key component for endangered and critically endangered species.
Thanks for doing this video.
As a born and raised niagara resident, Actually after taking new ownership the router is they are doing renos and weren't able to get permits or something
It’d be nice if the new owners just turn it into a full fledge theme park. Get rid of the animals. Wonderland is over packed ever single time I go there. Southern Ontario needs another major theme park.
I grew up in thorold, like a 15 min drive. In the 80s we would go every year. But as a teen in the mid 90s, its where i first got involved in animal rights. My first protest and demonstrations were there. We have been fighting for a long time to close this awful place.
Thanks for the video, it has bring back some childhood memories of going there in the '80 with my family as a kid (we were visiting Ontario from Quebec). Really enjoyed those different animal performance and had fun in those rides at that time. But as an adult now and seen so many report about what was going on with the poor animal there was really sad :-(. They could have switch more with the ride part and slowly closed down the animal section or vastly improve their condition, now by state of it look like it's going to be close very soon.
I live in Southern Ontario and the ads were incessant 25 years ago when my kids were young. I simply told them that we would never be going to Marineland because whales shouldn’t be kept in swimming pools. They understood.
Then why are fish kept in water tanks? Why are hamsters kept in cages? Birds, turtles, I could go on and on, but no one's going to admit to the hypocrisy. We should worry about our own species first, before going out and trying to bring all animals to salvation.
@@chris_hawk Multiple things can be true at once, Chris. One of those is that animals really should be kept in much larger enclosures than they usually are. 😊 Including the whales.
I've always hated this place, as a child and adult. I'm so glad it's FINALLY closing, and I hope the animals are sent to good sanctuary where they live out their last days in peace and comfort ♥
What sanctuary?
Love you honest take on the situation here, and yes many of those who shout a lot about these kinds of places are complicit. I just wish they treated the animals better like they do in may other attractions like these across the world.
Finally someone who gets it.
There were many things done in the past that we now see was wrong. Know better, do better.
Many of us went as kids and our parents didn’t know any better. Now with social media, streaming services, and cameras on our phones, it’s much easier to find out the truth about these kinds of places.
I always enjoyed going there. and given where i live can't think of any other way i would get to see these beautiful animals in person. given the state of the ocean i can't help but think we'll look back on the closing of marine parks and eventually zoos as short sighted and contributing to the extinction of many species.
I came to to this place twice as a child during the 90s. It's both sad and nostalgic seeing this place go under and I do wonder what will happen to the remaining animals.
You can still showcase animals and be successful without making them do tricks and shows. The Toronto zoo being one of them.
Places likes zoos and sanctuaries showcase animals that would otherwise be non existence in the wild or at the brink of extinction.
If the new owner does anything to the place and does so with animals maybe with exotic fish, reptiles, birds and a petting zoo. And one can still keep all of the rides.
I think doing it this way this place can be reborn but under a different name and be successful.
Thank you for giving us an update on this and showcasing it, like you say this could be Marineland's last summer.
My family (6 kids) lived 1/2 mile from Marineland and would sneak in the backway every weekend. (I live only a 1/4 mile away now lol). I remember my favourite Keiko the Orca (remember Free Willy?). I have many memories of Marineland and I loved it back in the day when it was acceptable and kids didn't have the awareness they have today. We even went on end of the school year class trips first week or 2 of June. My brother ended up working there first a groundskeeper then trained and moved on to the animal care dept. They nicknamed him the "Angel of Mercy" because he was so kind and caring and protected many deer and bear from Holer. His favourite bear was Sammy and he has many pictures of them in the same picture scene. I still have a keychain my brother made of a deer antler tip when he had to trim deer antlers. My brother quit after he witnessed Holer take out his shotgun from the back of his truck and shot his sweet and faithful older dog a few times and threw her in the freezer. That dog hung out with the animal care crew and they all cried and most quit when he did. You make me want to go just to take pics like you did. I have pics my great aunts took when they came to visit in the 70's. I participated in a Marineland protest in 2012 when we crashed the gates and went inside and stopped the show. and also went in 2013. Thanks for doing this
Wait, Keiko from “Free Willy” lived at Marineland?
@@citrusplantsam1996 Yes he did!!!!
@@CarmenDL1 Wow!
Don't forget the Polka King playing every summer. Grammy award winning Walter Ostanek. I did enjoy listening to the band.
I read somewhere that whales had makeup put on their backs to cover their sunburns due to them kept in shallow water. And does that water have choline in it? If so, what is that doing to them? Shaking my head at what these poor creatures have to live in.
This video brought me to tears, as someone who grew up loving marineland it hurts so bad to know how wrong it is. I love that place and the jingle will never ever leave my brain.
I grew up going to marine land, and that's where I first developed a love for marine animals at a young age. it took soooo long but its good that they are finally getting rid of the animals. as much as it was so fascinating to see these beautiful creatures up close, it is absolutely not right to keep them in tanks like that for peoples entertainment (icky gross looking tanks). I feel like if years ago they went for a different approach, of getting rid of the animals, and just having a marine focused educational ride theme park type place it could've had potential :/
I went there with my family on Wednesday and it’s a disgrace. The parking lot is run down, and the facility is a ghost town. Just shut it down completely!
People in the future will look back on this place as barbaric hellscape for extremely intelligent creatures. So sad this was ever even a thing.
Until recently the circus was a big draw too. There is a long history of exotic animal shows. Cock fighting and dog fighting remain in some cultures too. Spain still has bullfighting. The Calgary Stamped just had a really big season.
@@seanwebb605 there's a massive difference between keeping very intelligent animals like orcas and dolphins in tiny little aquariums for peoples entertainment and also mistreating them compared with riding bulls. I mean come on.
Cock fighting is illegal in most developed countries.
@@callumanderson2645 Animals were put down at the recent Calgary Stamped. Bullfighting kills bulls. Cock fighting and dog fighting is illegal in many civilized countries, but still takes place. And as I mentioned circuses were popular until very recently. We have a very long history of this. And a polar bear recently died at the Toronto Zoo.
I don't disagree that intelligence impacts how we feel and treat some animals over others. However, some say pigs are incredibly smart. Non human primates are used for medical testing. By all means put forward your philosophy and criteria. You seem genuine. I'm open to hearing your thoughts.
One of my earliest memories are when my aunt and uncle took me there back in 98
It’s an absolute stain on our society that this place is STILL open! I seriously hope this is the last season!