The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.
Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a struggle between a shuttered park, public officials and welfare campaigners.
But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who interact with them daily.
After the Canadian government prevented the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near the famous falls where they are housed stated it would consider to put them down unless the federal government pays for the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.
Scientists say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and communal behavior indicate they are remarkably smart animals – something a former trainer observed first-hand.
Burgess spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that required earning the trust of the marine predators.
“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”
The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the details and quirks in their characters. She developed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with different personalities.
“Eve chose me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “They altered the way I understand connection.”
Burgess’s interaction with the whales developed against a context of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.
During her time at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which activists say points to the poor conditions in which they were housed.
The park did not open to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the cessation. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and move about with chunks in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”
The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but in the past claimed: “The whales … get far superior health care and constant supervision than any individual in the Britain, or anywhere else.”
The former employee was dismissed from the park in early March following the death of Eos, an unwell beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility believed particulars of the death were shared to the press and she was fired not long after.
The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any plans to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “significant staff”, vehicles and specialized tools.
“It cannot happen in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.
She supports requests for the whales to be removed immediately from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.
In recent months, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a bid to export the whales to China.
“Granting the application would have meant a ongoing life in confinement and a return to display for amusement,” the minister stated. “As society, we know that whales should be in the sea, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience approve an export that would continue the treatment these belugas have suffered.”
But Burgess said the minister’s statements reveal a broader incorrect perception of the realities of existence for belugas raised in confinement.
“The people needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”
As officials attempt to find a resolution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of food for local populations.
A suggested sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received official endorsement, has proven most controversial. The prospective location, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a sustainable solution for a number of the whales.
But, Burgess says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.
Different voices say the prospect of a sanctuary reflects a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable solution in the near future.
Charles Vinick, head of the sanctuary project, said the facility will replicate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|
Milan is een ervaren opticien met een passie voor visuele technologie en klantgerichtheid.
