Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.
A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a closed attraction, public officials and animal rights activists.
But those closest to the whales say the heated controversy over their future often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who work with them regularly.
After the Canadian government disallowed the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept threatened to put them down unless the authorities pays for the cost of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that demand, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.
Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and communal behavior indicate they are deeply intelligent mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.
She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that required gaining confidence of the marine predators.
“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”
The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the details and quirks in their personalities. She developed a special affection for a pair of whales with contrasting personalities.
“Eve chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They altered the way I understand connection.”
Her connection with the whales developed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their enclosure.
During her three years at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the facility links to natural mortality, but which activists say points to the substandard environment in which they were kept.
The facility did not open to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly effects of the closure. “Structural materials is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”
The park did not reply to a request for comment, but previously claimed: “The whales … get far better health care and constant attention than any individual in the Britain, or other places.”
The former employee was terminated from the park in early March following the demise of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected details of the incident were leaked to the media and she was fired soon after.
The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and staff members in distress. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any plans to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “considerable manpower”, trucks and specialized tools.
“There’s no way in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.
She backs demands for the whales to be transferred right away from the facility, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.
In late September, Canada’s government official denied a bid to transfer the whales to China.
“Allowing the request would have meant a perpetual existence in captivity and a return to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that marine mammals belong in the ocean, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing permit an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have suffered.”
But Burgess said the official’s remarks reveal a broader incorrect perception of the circumstances of life for belugas born in captivity.
“The public needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”
As authorities struggle to find a solution, ideas have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Inuit communities.
A proposed protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received government approval, has shown to be most controversial. The future facility, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term resolution for a number of the whales.
But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.
Some experts say the idea of a refuge indicates a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable approach in the coming months.
The project lead, leader of the sanctuary project, said the location will mimic the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|
Lena Hoffmann is a seasoned journalist with a passion for uncovering stories that matter, specializing in German current affairs and digital media trends.
