A Canadian theme park said it will euthanise 30 beluga whales if the government does not provide emergency funding by the end of the day.

Marineland, a zoo and amusement park under heavy scrutiny for its treatment of captive animals, closed to the public last year and has reportedly been trying to sell its assets since.

It remains in possession of the last captive whales in Canada, which it says it lacks the resources to continue caring for.

Earlier this month, Canada denied the park’s request to send the whales to the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom theme park in China. Joanne Thompson, the fisheries minister, said the export “would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have endured”.

According to the Canadian Press news agency, 20 whales, including one killer whale and 19 belugas, have died at Marineland since 2019.

Inspectors previously declared that all animals at the park were in distress owing to poor water quality.

On Friday, park management wrote to the federal government requesting a cash infusion by Oct 7, according to reports by the New York Times and CBC News.

“If we do not receive a response by that date, we will have no choice but to presume that the answers to our inquiries are negative,” Marineland reportedly wrote, adding that it will “face the devastating decision of euthanasia”.