🔗 Share this article

Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a struggle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense debate over their destiny often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the national authorities disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to end their lives unless the government pays for the expense of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and communal behavior point to they are deeply intelligent creatures – something a former trainer observed directly.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a position that involved earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so astounded by the subtleties and quirks in their dispositions. She formed a special affection for a pair of whales with opposing temperaments.

“Eve selected me. The other required effort,” she said. “Each transformed the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her interaction with the whales developed against a background of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her tenure at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility attributes to age-related causes, but which advocates say indicates the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not open to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand effects of the cessation. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and swim around with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not comment to a inquiry, but earlier claimed: “The whales … obtain far better health care and constant supervision than any human in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in recent months following the demise of Eos, an ailing beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the facility suspected details of the death were disclosed to the news outlets and she was released shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in despair. She says the facility’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any plans to put down even a single beluga would require “considerable personnel”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be transferred promptly from the park, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official denied a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a ongoing situation in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official stated. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the ocean, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing permit an transfer that would prolong the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements reflect a wider misunderstanding of the realities of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities work to find a answer, proposals have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of food for local populations.

A proposed protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has been most controversial. The prospective location, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain positive that it could in time represent a long term answer for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the possibility of a sanctuary indicates a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a workable approach in the short term.

The project lead, head of the plan, said the location will simulate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|