🔗 Share this article

The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable small “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a struggle between a shuttered park, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the humans who see them each day.

After the federal government prevented the export of the belugas to China, the embattled facility near the famous falls where they are held threatened to end their lives unless the federal government pays for the cost of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior point to they are highly cognitive animals – something one caretaker learned personally.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a position that involved gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

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

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so astounded by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She formed a deep bond for two female belugas with opposing natures.

“Eve chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They changed the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s connection with the whales developed against a context of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her three years at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say reflects the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not operate to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and swim around with chunks in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not comment to a request for comment, but previously stated: “The whales … get far better health care and 24/7 care than any individual in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in the spring following the demise of Eos, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park thought information of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was released shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any efforts to put down even a individual beluga would require “considerable personnel”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

She supports demands for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In recent months, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a bid to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the request would have meant a ongoing situation in enclosure and a return to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the ocean, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience permit an export that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reveal a wider incorrect perception of the circumstances of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers attempt to find a resolution, proposals have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a important part of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A proposed refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The prospective facility, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term answer for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Others say the possibility of a refuge represents a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible plan in the near future.

Charles Vinick, leader of the plan, said the location will replicate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|