🔗 Share this article

The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated controversy over their future often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to end their lives unless the federal government covers the upkeep of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and social skills point to they are remarkably smart animals – something a former trainer learned first-hand.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a position that involved gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

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

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so astounded by the nuances and quirks in their characters. She developed a special affection for a pair of whales with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Both changed the way I understand relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales evolved against a context of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her tenure at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility attributes to age-related causes, but which advocates say reflects the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not open to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes effects of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and swim around with chunks in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but earlier stated: “The whales … receive far superior veterinary services and around the clock supervision than any human in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in early March following the demise of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park thought information of the incident were shared to the press and she was released soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left her and staff members in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any attempts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “immense staff”, trucks and machinery.

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

Burgess supports demands for the whales to be removed immediately from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister rejected a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a perpetual existence in enclosure and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals should be in the ocean, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing approve an transfer that would prolong the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments reflect a wider lack of awareness of the realities of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance 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 officials struggle to find a answer, ideas have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of food for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has been most controversial. The prospective facility, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain positive that it could eventually represent a sustainable solution for a number of the whales.

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

Some experts say the possibility of a sanctuary indicates a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable solution in the coming months.

An official, director of the initiative, said the site will replicate the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|