🔗 Share this article

Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a shuttered park, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned discussion over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the federal government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial facility near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to end their lives unless the federal government funds the cost of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, problem solving and social skills point to they are deeply intelligent creatures – something a former trainer discovered personally.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that involved gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the nuances and unique traits in their personalities. She formed a special affection for two female belugas with contrasting natures.

“Eve accepted me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They altered the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s connection with the whales progressed against a context of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her time at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility links to expected lifespan, but which activists say indicates the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the shutdown. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and navigate with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but previously stated: “The whales … obtain far higher quality veterinary services and constant attention than any human in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in the spring following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the park thought particulars of the incident were disclosed to the press and she was let go soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any plans to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “considerable staff”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

She backs calls for the whales to be removed promptly from the park, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a proposal to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a perpetual existence in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official stated. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals are meant for the sea, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing permit an transfer that would prolong the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reveal a more general incorrect perception of the facts of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a resolution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which now received official endorsement, has proven highly debated. The planned location, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain positive that it could ultimately represent a permanent solution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the idea of a refuge indicates a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a feasible approach in the coming months.

The project lead, head of the initiative, said the location will replicate the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|