🔗 Share this article

Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming small “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a tussle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their fate often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the people who work with them regularly.

After the federal government blocked the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial attraction near Niagara Falls where they are housed stated it would consider to end their lives unless the federal government funds the expense of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and social skills suggest they are highly cognitive mammals – something one caretaker discovered personally.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a job that involved building relationships of the marine predators.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She formed a special affection for a pair of whales with opposing temperaments.

“Eve accepted me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They transformed the way I view relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

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

During her three years at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which activists say indicates the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the cessation. “Structural materials is breaking off from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and swim around with pieces in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not comment to a inquiry, but in the past asserted: “The whales … get far better medical attention and 24/7 care than any individual in the Britain, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in recent months following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park believed details of the incident were shared to the press and she was let go not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and staff members in distress. She says the facility’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any efforts to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “considerable manpower”, equipment and machinery.

“There’s no way in hell the staff would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess advocates for calls for the whales to be transferred promptly from the park, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In recent months, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a bid to send the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a continued life in confinement and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister stated. “As society, we know that whales belong in the sea, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing approve an relocation that would continue the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks reveal a wider incorrect perception of the facts of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The future site, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain positive that it could eventually represent a permanent 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 experiment” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the possibility of a sanctuary indicates a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a workable approach in the short term.

Charles Vinick, head of the plan, said the site will simulate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|