🔗 Share this article

The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming little “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a struggle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned controversy over their future often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the federal government blocked the export of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are kept threatened to put them down unless the government covers the cost of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and social skills point to they are deeply intelligent mammals – something a former trainer learned directly.

Burgess spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that entailed earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so surprised by the details and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She cultivated a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting personalities.

“Eve chose me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “They transformed the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales evolved against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility attributes to expected lifespan, but which advocates say indicates the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly results of the cessation. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and navigate with chunks in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a request for comment, but earlier claimed: “The whales … get far better health care and 24/7 care than any person in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in early March following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the park believed information of the incident were disclosed to the news outlets and she was let go soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and staff members in distress. She says the facility’s warning to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any attempts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, trucks and heavy equipment.

“It cannot happen in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess advocates for demands for the whales to be transferred promptly from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In late September, the nation’s government official denied a bid to send the whales to China.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a continued life in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister stated. “As Canadians, we know that whales belong in the ocean, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an relocation that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments indicate a more general incorrect perception of the circumstances of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a resolution, proposals have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The prospective facility, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, is not yet built. Proponents remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a long term answer for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the prospect of a sanctuary represents a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a workable plan in the near future.

Charles Vinick, leader of the plan, said the facility will simulate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|