🔗 Share this article

Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a disagreement between a shuttered park, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned controversy over their destiny often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept threatened to put them down unless the government funds the expense of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and social skills indicate they are deeply intelligent creatures – something Kristy Burgess observed directly.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a role that involved earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, 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 amazed by the nuances and quirks in their dispositions. She formed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with different personalities.

“One whale chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “They transformed the way I understand relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s connection with the whales progressed against a context of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her three years at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the park ascribes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say indicates the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not open to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is breaking off from the pools 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 jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not reply to a request for comment, but previously asserted: “The whales … receive far better veterinary services and around the clock care than any individual in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in early March following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility believed particulars of the death were disclosed to the news outlets and she was fired not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and current and former trainers in distress. She says the facility’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, trucks and specialized tools.

“It cannot happen in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

She supports demands for the whales to be taken promptly from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a request to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the request would have meant a perpetual existence in confinement and a return to public entertainment,” the minister commented. “As society, we know that marine mammals should be in the ocean, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing approve an transfer that would prolong the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reflect a wider misunderstanding of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers work to find a answer, ideas 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 nourishment for local populations.

A proposed protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received official endorsement, has proven most controversial. The planned location, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a permanent resolution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the prospect of a refuge indicates a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable approach in the coming months.

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