🔗 Share this article

Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming little “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense discussion over their destiny often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the federal government blocked the export of the belugas to China, the struggling facility near Niagara Falls where they are held warned to euthanize them unless the federal government pays for the upkeep of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and social skills indicate they are deeply intelligent creatures – something a former trainer observed directly.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a position that entailed earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the subtleties and quirks in their characters. She formed a particular love for a pair of whales with different temperaments.

“One whale chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Both transformed the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales developed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her time at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say points to the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and swim around with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not respond to a request for comment, but earlier asserted: “The whales … obtain far superior health care and 24/7 supervision than any individual in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in recent months following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park thought details of the death were disclosed to the press and she was released not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and staff members in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess supports demands for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In recent months, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a request to send the whales to China.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a continued existence in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that belugas should be in the ocean, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in good conscience permit an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks reflect a more general incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers attempt to find a answer, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of food for Inuit communities.

A planned sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has proven contentious. The prospective facility, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Proponents remain optimistic that it could in time represent a sustainable resolution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the possibility of a refuge indicates a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible solution in the near future.

The project lead, head of the plan, said the site will simulate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales get from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|