🔗 Share this article

The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable small “playful character”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a struggle between a closed attraction, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their future often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are kept warned to put them down unless the federal government funds the cost of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and group interactions suggest they are deeply intelligent creatures – something Kristy Burgess discovered personally.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a role that entailed gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the details and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She developed a deep bond for a pair of whales with different temperaments.

“Eve selected me. The other required effort,” she said. “Both changed the way I understand relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales progressed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility links to expected lifespan, but which activists say indicates the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and swim around with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but earlier claimed: “The whales … obtain far superior veterinary services and around the clock care than any individual in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in early March following the passing of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected information of the death were shared to the media and she was released soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. 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 attempts to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “significant manpower”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess backs demands for the whales to be taken promptly from the facility, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister rejected a proposal to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the application would have meant a ongoing situation in confinement and a return to public entertainment,” the minister stated. “As the public, we know that belugas are meant for the ocean, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing permit an transfer that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reflect a broader misunderstanding of the facts of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for local populations.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received regulatory clearance, has shown to be highly debated. The prospective location, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a long term answer for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the idea of a refuge represents a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a feasible solution in the near future.

Charles Vinick, director of the plan, said the facility will mimic the mental engagement and diet the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|