🔗 Share this article

Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a tussle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their destiny often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the people who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities prevented the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are held warned to euthanize them unless the government pays for the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and social skills point to they are deeply intelligent mammals – something a former trainer learned first-hand.

She spent three years as a beluga trainer, a role that required gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so amazed by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She formed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing personalities.

“One whale chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each transformed the way I perceive connection.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her interaction with the whales developed against a background of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her three years at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say reflects the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly effects of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and navigate with chunks in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but earlier stated: “The whales … receive far superior health care and around the clock attention than any individual in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an ailing beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park believed particulars of the death were shared to the press and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s warning to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “immense staff”, vehicles and machinery.

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

She advocates for demands for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In recent months, the nation’s government official denied a proposal to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the application would have meant a continued situation in confinement and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister commented. “As society, we know that marine mammals should be in the sea, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience permit an transfer that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments indicate a broader incorrect perception of the circumstances of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities attempt to find a solution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of food for Indigenous peoples.

A planned protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received government approval, has shown to be contentious. The future location, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Advocates remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a long term answer for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the prospect of a sanctuary reflects a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a workable solution in the short term.

Charles Vinick, head of the sanctuary project, said the facility will simulate the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|