🔗 Share this article

The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute small “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a defunct facility, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are housed warned to end their lives unless the federal government funds the upkeep of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and communal behavior point to they are remarkably smart creatures – something a former trainer discovered first-hand.

She spent several years as a whale caretaker, a role that entailed building relationships of the marine predators.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the nuances and unique traits in their characters. She formed a particular love for two female belugas with contrasting natures.

“One whale chose me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both transformed the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her interaction with the whales progressed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the facility links to age-related causes, but which advocates say reflects the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the cessation. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and swim around with pieces in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but in the past stated: “The whales … obtain far higher quality health care and 24/7 attention than any individual in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in early March following the demise of Eos, an ailing beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the park thought details of the incident were leaked to the press and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “immense manpower”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess backs requests for the whales to be transferred immediately from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In recent months, Canada’s government official rejected a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a perpetual situation in confinement and a return to public entertainment,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that whales belong in the wild, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements indicate a wider incorrect perception of the facts of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, ideas have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received government approval, has proven highly debated. The prospective facility, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Proponents remain hopeful that it could in time represent a sustainable solution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the idea of a sanctuary represents a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable plan in the coming months.

The project lead, head of the initiative, said the location will mimic the mental engagement and diet the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|