🔗 Share this article

The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute small “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a struggle between a defunct facility, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense discussion over their destiny often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near the famous falls where they are held threatened to put them down unless the government pays for the cost of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are deeply intelligent creatures – something one caretaker learned first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a beluga trainer, a job that involved earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She developed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with different temperaments.

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

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales developed against a context of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her three years at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, died. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the park ascribes to age-related causes, but which campaigners say reflects the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The facility did not open to the guests 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 maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but previously stated: “The whales … obtain far superior health care and 24/7 supervision than any human in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in the spring following the demise of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the facility believed information of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and staff members in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any efforts to humanely kill 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.

She supports requests for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official rejected a proposal to export the whales to China.

“To approve the request would have meant a continued life in confinement and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister commented. “As society, we know that whales belong in the ocean, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience approve an transfer that would continue the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reveal a wider lack of awareness of the facts of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received official endorsement, has proven highly debated. The future location, which includes a large area of protected cove, is not yet built. Supporters remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term solution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the possibility of a refuge reflects a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a viable plan in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the initiative, said the site will mimic the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|