Two other beluga whales died at Marineland, bringing the total number of whale deaths since 2019 to 17.

Ontario Animal Care Services has been investigating the tourist attraction at Niagara Falls since 2020.

Brent Ross, spokesperson for the Ministry of the Attorney General, the government body responsible for animal care, said the ministry is aware of the death of two beluga whales at Marineland last March.

The province did not specify how the whales died.

Marineland said in a statement that "the independent necropsy confirms that the beluga whales died due to torsion after courageous medical efforts to help them." Torsion refers to an abnormal twisting of the stomach.

Marineland stated: "All whales are subject to ongoing weekly supervision and monitoring by the government regulatory body and are cared for daily by in-house veterinarians and many external consultants."

"The fact is that all animals eventually die for one reason or another, whether in the wild or in captivity."

Sixteen beluga whales and one killer whale have died in the park since 2019, according to Canadian press through freedom of information requests and other sources.

The province said a bottlenose dolphin, a harbor seal, a gray seal, and two California sea lions also died during that period.

Three other beluga animals died at Marineland in Mystic Aquarium, Connecticut. The last death there occurred in December. Marineland sold five beluga whales to the American facility and they were transferred in May 2021. Mystic said the previous two beluga deaths were due to pre-existing conditions and both had come from Marineland.

The US government began an investigation after the death of the first two beluga fish, and the investigation is still ongoing. The Canadian federal government earlier said it is not investigating this step.

In the same week the whales were transferred, Ontario Animal Care Services announced that all marine mammals at Marineland are in distress due to poor water quality. In court documents, Marineland denied that its animals were in distress and also denied that the water played a role in the whale deaths.

Marineland says on its website that it has a "strong record" of providing care for its animals and will continue to "prioritize their health and well-being."

There were 37 beluga whales in the park last summer when the Canadian press visited Marineland.

Twelve beluga deaths occurred over a two-year period. Documents obtained through freedom of information laws show that the beluga named Ikura died on October 24, 2019, followed by 10 others, then the beluga named Paul died on November 23, 2021.

The province’s ongoing four-year investigation into Marineland remains shrouded in mystery, as officials refuse to disclose details of the investigation, what it is doing in the park, and how the animals died.

Attorney General Michael Kerzner said provincial animal care services have inspected Marineland more than 200 times since 2020.

He said, "I am disturbed to hear anything like this." "Our mission as a government is to ensure that our laws are followed. And we have one of the strongest laws anywhere in the country."

Phil Demers, former Marineland trainer turned outspoken critic of the park, called for accountability and transparency.

Demers, co-founder of UrgentSeas, said: "Marineland continues to try to hide the severity of the situation their animals are suffering from, but it is hard to hide dead whales."

He wondered, "When will there be accountability? Where is the government?"

Marineland was recently convicted under provincial animal cruelty laws for its care of three small black bears. The park kept three bears in tight spaces with little access to water and no climbing structures. Sentencing is scheduled for August.

Marineland prevented a Canadian journalist from approaching its property last year.