🔗 Share this article

The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a shuttered park, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their fate often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the people who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government prevented the export of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are held threatened to end their lives unless the authorities covers the cost of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and social skills point to they are deeply intelligent creatures – something a former trainer observed first-hand.

Burgess spent three years as a beluga trainer, a role that required earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so surprised by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She formed a special affection for a pair of whales with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale selected me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both altered the way I perceive connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales evolved against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her time at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility attributes to age-related causes, but which activists say indicates the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but in the past claimed: “The whales … obtain far better veterinary services and constant care than any person in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in early March following the demise of Eos, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park believed information of the incident were shared to the media and she was fired not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the facility’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any attempts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “immense staff”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She backs calls for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official turned down a bid to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a perpetual situation in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that whales should be in the sea, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience authorize an relocation that would continue the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

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

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers attempt to find a resolution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of food for local populations.

A planned sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has proven highly debated. The planned site, which includes a large area of protected cove, is not yet built. Proponents remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a sustainable answer for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Others say the idea of a sanctuary indicates a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a workable plan in the near future.

Charles Vinick, head of the plan, said the site will simulate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|