🔗 Share this article

Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a struggle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the intense discussion over their future often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the people who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are housed stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the federal government pays for the upkeep of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and group interactions indicate they are highly cognitive mammals – something a former trainer observed directly.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a position that entailed earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

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

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the nuances and unique traits in their personalities. She cultivated a deep bond for two female belugas with opposing personalities.

“Eve selected me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Each transformed the way I perceive bonding.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s interaction with the whales evolved against a background of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her three years at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, died. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park links to age-related causes, but which campaigners say points to the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The park did not admit visitors to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and navigate with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a request for comment, but previously claimed: “The whales … obtain far superior health care and 24/7 attention than any individual in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in early March following the death of a beluga, an sick beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the park believed particulars of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was released not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and current and former trainers in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, trucks and specialized tools.

“It’s impossible in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess backs requests for the whales to be taken immediately from the park, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In recent months, Canada’s government official turned down a proposal to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a ongoing life in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that whales should be in the ocean, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience permit an relocation that would continue the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments indicate a broader incorrect perception of the realities of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities work to find a answer, ideas have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has been highly debated. The planned location, which includes extensive space of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a long term resolution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Others say the possibility of a protected habitat represents a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a viable approach in the short term.

The project lead, director of the initiative, said the location will replicate the mental engagement and diet the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|