Marineland (Ontario)
Official logo of Marineland
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| Slogan | Everyone Loves Marineland! |
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| Location | Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada |
| Coordinates | 43°03′56″N 79°04′21″W / 43.06556°N 79.07250°WCoordinates: 43°03′56″N 79°04′21″W / 43.06556°N 79.07250°W |
| Owner | John Holer |
| Opened | 1961 |
| Previous names |
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| Operating season | May – October |
| Rides | |
| Total | 15 |
| Roller coasters | 2 |
| Website | Official site |
Marineland (official name Marineland of Canada Inc. and marketing as MarineLand) is a themed amusement park and zoo for both marine and land animals, in the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. It is one of the main tourist attractions in Niagara Falls. The park has been a centre of controversy over its handling of animals at the park. Between November 2016 and January 2017, 11 charges were laid against Marineland by Ontario's animal welfare agency because of its alleged mistreatment of animals. As of May 2nd, 2017, Marineland has lost its CAZA endorsement. . The company has vowed to put the agency to the strictest proof in court.
The park was founded by John Holer, a Slovenian immigrant who had worked for circuses in Europe before coming to Canada in the late 1950s. It first 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 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. In the 1970s Kandu the killer whale became the park's major attraction and the "And Game Farm" part of the name was dropped, although it was still referred to as "Marineland And Game Farm" until the late 1970s in television and radio advertisements. It was also around this time that the park began adding rides such as Dragon Mountain (1983) and Sky Screamer to attract teenagers and younger children.
The primary attractions advertised by the company for the 2017 season (to start 20 May) include dolphins, walruses and, sea lions, a killer whale, beluga whales and rides such as "the world's largest steel roller coaster", Dragon Mountain and "the world's highest triple tower ride", Sky Screamer.
Issues that may affect the future of parks such as this include the 28 May 28 2015 passing of the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Amendment Act in Legislative Assembly of Ontario. The Act prohibits the acquisition or breeding of Orcas in Ontario.
As well, controversy about the treatment of animals by Marineland Canada has been rampant, resulting in negative publicity.
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