🔗 Share this article

Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming little “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a disagreement between a shuttered park, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated discussion over their future often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the federal government blocked the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial attraction near the famous falls where they are housed stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the federal government covers the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that demand, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and group interactions indicate they are remarkably smart mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned directly.

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

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary 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 characters. She developed a special affection for two female belugas with contrasting personalities.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both changed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales developed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, passed away. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the park links to age-related causes, but which advocates say reflects the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes results of the shutdown. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and move about with pieces in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but in the past stated: “The whales … get far higher quality veterinary services and around the clock supervision than any human in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park suspected particulars of the death were leaked to the media and she was let go soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left her and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “considerable manpower”, trucks and heavy equipment.

“It cannot happen in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

She supports demands for the whales to be transferred immediately from the park, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official rejected a bid to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a perpetual existence in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that whales should be in the sea, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an relocation that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements reflect a wider incorrect perception of the facts of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a solution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of nourishment for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received official endorsement, has been most controversial. The future facility, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Proponents remain positive that it could eventually represent a permanent solution for eight of the whales.

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

Others say the idea of a protected habitat reflects a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a viable solution in the short term.

Charles Vinick, head of the sanctuary project, said the site will mimic the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|