MarineLand

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Marineland of Canada Inc.
Location	Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, [[]]
Website	Official site
Owner	John Holer
Opened	1961
Previous names	Niagara Game Farm, Niagara Marineland and Game Farm, Marineland and Game Farm
Operating season	May – October
Rides	15 total 2 roller coasters
Slogan	Everyone loves Marineland

Marineland (official name Marineland of Canada Inc.)^[1]) is a themed amusement and animal exhibition park in the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Owing to its proximity to the falls and other natural park areas and its blend of animal attractions and rides, it is one of the main tourist destinations in Niagara Falls, Canada.^[2]

Contents 1 History 2 Advertising 3 Operating season 4 Services 5 Animal exhibits 6 Rides and attractions 7 Animal deaths 8 Marineland's future 9 References 10 External links

History

The park first opened in 1961 as "Niagara Game Farm", without any of the current marine attractions or rides. It also featured a First Nation's replica village. The original Niagara Game Farm was essentially a small zoo, a large part of which was a petting zoo. Within a few years, the marine attractions were added, and the park's name was changed to "Niagara Marineland And Game Farm", and by 1966 it was officially just "Marineland And Game Farm". In the 1970s Kandu(2) the killer whale became the park's major attraction, the "And Game Farm" part of the name was dropped. Although it was still referred to as "Marineland And Game Farm" until the mid 1980's in Television and Radio advertisments. It was also around this time that the park began adding rides such as Dragon Mountain to encourage teenagers and younger visitors.

Advertising

The park slogan for many years has been "Everyone Loves Marineland". An earlier slogan was "Happiness is Marineland." During the summer months they ran commercials in Ontario, Quebec, Pennsylvania, and Upstate New York television stations (at least as far east as the Burlington, Vermont media market) featuring a jingle that highlights the features of the park, with new verses added for new attractions every year.^[3] The park's mascot is known as King Waldorf, a walrus dressed like a king. The park also ran a campground named after him.^[4] Some versions of the jingle have been sung by Suzie McNeil.

Operating season

Marineland is open from the Victoria Day weekend through to Canadian Thanksgiving weekend in October. Rides operate until nightfall.^[5]

Services

• Locker, stroller and wheelchair rentals.
• Allows picnicking and has a corporate area for picnics.
• Offers live musical entertainment with Polka Legend Walter Ostanek performing daily during the peak season.

Animal exhibits

• Friendship Cove: The world's largest whale habitat for viewing orcas above ground and below.^[6] Until the 2006 season, guests were able to pet and feed the killer whales. 'Splash Sessions' have now replaced the interactive sessions in response to guest feedback. The 'Splash Sessions' include the whales jumping and splashing the guests around the walls of the pool. Friendship Cove currently holds two orcas: Kiska (female, approx. 34 years) and Ikaika (male, 8 years). Upon the 2009 opening season, 10 belugas from Arctic Cove have been moved into Friendship Cove. Tank arrangements are:

Front Tank (Belugas): Rain, Rose, Meeka, Burnaby, Horus, Jellybean, Tuk, Tofino, Charmin, and Osiris. Side Tank: Ikaika. Back/Medical Tank: Kiska.

• Arctic Cove: Opened in 2004, features beluga whales, it is much like Friendship Cove allowing guests to view belugas above and below ground. Guests also have the opportunity to pet and feed the beluga whales for a small fee. These interaction sessions occur throughout the day.^[7] Marineland currently holds the world record of 36 beluga whales total in their exhibits, both wild and captive born whales in Arctic Cove and Friendship Cove. Current female beluga whales include: Jubilee, Xena, Eve, Isis, Osiris, Kelowna, Sierra, Skyla, Charmin, Peanut, Oceanna, Caspian, Gemini, Cleopatra, Peekachu, Rain, Acadia, Aurora, Talia, Secord, Lillooet, Rose, Meeka, Mira, Charlotte and Qila. Males: Orion, Burnaby, Tuk, Andre, Belyi, Tofino, Horus, and Kodiak. Recent births include a female calf born in the month of June, 2010: Qila.

Tank arrangements are: Arctic Cove: Front Tank: Xena & Eve, Kelowna & Charlotte, Oceanna & Mira, Cleo & Neva, Gemini, Isis & Qila, Belyi. Side Tank: Andre, Caspian, Jubilee, Peanut, Secord, Acadia, Kodiak, Orion, Aurora, Sierra, Skyla, Talia and Lillooet. Medical/Back Tank: Peekachu

• The King Waldorf Stadium Show: Featuring mainly sea lions, walrus and bottlenose dolphins. The King Waldorf Stadium Show includes dolphins jumping in the air and sea lions with comedy. The performing dolphins include: Lida, Tsunami, Echo, Marina and Sonar. Other performing animals include Buttercup and Smooshi (walruses), and Coral, Surfer, and Tide, (adult female sea lions).

• Aquarium Dome: Show mainly features training of the sea lions. This tank is also a retiring centre for some older animals. Animals in the dome include Curry, Poppy and Baby (harbor seals), Sandy, Pebbles, Baker (sea lions), and Delphine (northern grey seal).

• Other Animals: Marineland has many animals throughout the park that are not cetaceans or pinnipeds. Marineland has carried over these animals from its' days as a 'game farm'.

• Bears: an area featuring black bears sits below a viewing deck, where visitors can throw Corn Pops cereal (originally marshmallows) to them.
• Fallow deer: The deer are in a fenced in area which allow people to move about freely, food is provided for a fee.
• Fish: An area in which carp and koi gather around "deck bridges", allowing easy viewing and feeding (for a fee),
• Elk and Buffalo: allow for easy viewing of these creatures grazing. Feeding also available for a fee.

• 

  One of the Orcas (Nootka 5)

• 

  The Deer

• 

  Feeding a beluga named Priscilla

• 

  Orcas during performance (Orca is Athena)

Rides and attractions

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• Dragon Mountain Roller Coaster: an Arrow roller coaster which opened as the world's largest (not longest) non-stop roller coaster (covering 30 acres). It features tunnels that lead to the queue area, has two consecutive vertical loops and the only bowtie loop of its kind in the world.^[8]
• Sky Hawk: a spinning ride which also moves vertically up and down. Features one- or two-person cages without restricting belts or harnesses.
• Wave Swinger: a swing ride with a moving top that allows the swings to move up and down. The first adult ride the park ever had.
• Lady Bug Coaster: children's roller coaster, features a lady bug cart.
• Tivoli Wheel: a "hanging" ferris wheel.
• Magic Experience: a spinning ride located near the bear area; features statues of bears on the ride.
• Kandu's Twister: Opened in 2002, this ride is a "teacup" style ride that features orcas on the sides of the cups.
• Space Avenger: a spinning ride that features a control panel in the cages allowing the rider to move vertically up and down.
• Dragon Boats: a simple carousel with a Viking boat theme.
• Flying Dragon a ride that offers thrills for a lot of ages, goes up into the air then falls back down without inversion.
• Hurricane Cove a generic Mack Sea Storm ride.
• Sky Screamer: Opened in 2004 and claims to be the world's highest triple tower ride (91.4 meters or 300 feet). It is situated on a 150-foot-tall (46 m) hill, making the total height of the ride 450 feet (or 137 metres), which affords the rider an impressive view of the city and the falls. It is a recognizable landmark with the Marineland logo at the top clearly visible at night. Ascending riders experience 4G's, while descending riders experience a -2G's.^[9]
• Topple Tower: Opened in 2008 this ride has a circular gondola where the passengers sit, is elevated into the air and then starts spinning, and the tower rocks back and forth on a 60 degree angle, giving it a 30 degree angle with the ground, and its scenery features a walrus on top of the tower.
• Viking Adventure: Opened in 2006, it is a small sized Viking boat ride that operates on a track to rock passengers back and forth and spin them around.
• Orca Screamer: Opened in 2005, this is a miniature, child size one-tower version of the famous Sky Screamer.
• Bumble Bee: Opened in 2005, this brightly coloured children's ride allows parents and children to sit in a car together a be elevated and spun around.
• Ocean Odyssey: Opened in 2010, this family ride allows guests to sit in fish shaped cars that are attached to large arms. The ride spins in a circular motion while the arms move up and down.

Animal deaths

In December 1999 a recently imported beluga whale from Russia died. The whale was one of nine which had just been imported from Russia.

In March 2000 another whale died, this time it was a three year old orca named Malik. Malik died due to a deficient immune system.^[10]

In January 2008 Nootka, the matriarch killer whale died. She was in captivity for 26 years.

Also in 2001, Member of Parliament Libby Davies tabled a private member's bill which aimed to ban the live-capture and trade of whales and dolphins.^[11] The Department of Fisheries and Oceans commissioned a scientific study, but Minister Herb Dhaliwal chose not to act on any of the recommendations.

Athena, a 4-year old orca died in the spring of 2009.

Sasha, a 2-year old beluga died on October 9, 2010.

Marineland's future

Marineland has plans for a 20-acre (81,000 m²) aquarium complex featuring a shark exhibit, dolphin habitat, ocean reef and freshwater fish. A five-kilometre boat ride on a man-made river and a five-kilometre wilderness steam locomotive train ride are also planned. On these rides, wild animals will be viewed in expansive natural settings.^[2]

References

External links

• Marineland website
• Coaster-Net More information about the Sky Screamer.
• Images from the Historic Niagara Digital Collections

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Coordinates: 43°03′56″N 79°04′21″W / 43.06556°N 79.0725°W / 43.06556; -79.0725