🔗 Share this article

Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming little “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a defunct facility, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been carefully observed by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the federal government blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to end their lives unless the federal government funds the expense of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and communal behavior indicate they are highly cognitive mammals – something one caretaker observed directly.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a role that entailed building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the beginning, 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 gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the subtleties and quirks in their personalities. She developed a special affection for a pair of whales with contrasting personalities.

“One whale selected me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Both changed the way I perceive connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales developed against a context of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility links to natural mortality, but which advocates say reflects the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand effects of the closure. “Structural materials is falling apart from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but earlier asserted: “The whales … get far superior health care and around the clock supervision than any person in the UK, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in early March following the demise of Eos, an sick beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park suspected details of the incident were shared to the media and she was fired not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and staff members in distress. She says the park’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any plans to put down even a individual beluga would require “considerable manpower”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess supports calls for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the application would have meant a perpetual life in enclosure and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that belugas are meant for the sea, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience approve an relocation that would prolong the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reflect a broader incorrect perception of the facts of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

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

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received government approval, has shown to be highly debated. The future location, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a long term resolution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Others say the possibility of a protected habitat represents a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable solution in the coming months.

An official, director of the plan, said the location will mimic the cognitive activities and diet the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|