🔗 Share this article

The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “playful character”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a shuttered park, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense controversy over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the people who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government blocked the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling facility near Niagara Falls where they are kept threatened to put them down unless the government pays for the cost of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and social skills indicate they are highly cognitive mammals – something one caretaker learned directly.

Burgess spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a position that entailed earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for two female belugas with opposing natures.

“Eve chose me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both altered the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s interaction with the whales evolved against a context of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which activists say indicates the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the shutdown. “Concrete is falling apart from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and swim around with chunks in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a request for comment, but earlier asserted: “The whales … obtain far better health care and around the clock attention than any human in the Britain, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in recent months following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park thought particulars of the incident were disclosed to the press and she was released shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in despair. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “significant staff”, trucks and machinery.

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

Burgess backs requests for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In the autumn, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a proposal to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the application would have meant a ongoing situation in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that whales belong in the wild, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an transfer that would continue the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements reflect a more general misunderstanding of the realities of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers attempt to find a solution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a important part of food for Inuit communities.

A planned sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received regulatory clearance, has proven contentious. The prospective facility, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain positive that it could in time represent a sustainable solution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the idea of a protected habitat indicates a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a workable solution in the near future.

An official, leader of the plan, said the location will mimic the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales get from trainers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|