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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a defunct facility, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned discussion over their future often ignores the complexities 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 export of the belugas to China, the controversial amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are kept threatened to end their lives unless the government funds the upkeep of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are remarkably smart mammals – something a former trainer observed directly.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a role that involved gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the beginning, 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 rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the nuances and unique traits in their personalities. She formed a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing personalities.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both altered the way I view relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales developed against a context of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility links to age-related causes, but which activists say points to the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The park did not operate to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and swim around with chunks in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but in the past stated: “The whales … obtain far superior health care and around the clock care than any person in the UK, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in the spring following the death of Eos, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected particulars of the death were leaked to the media and she was released not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in despair. She says the park’s threat to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “significant manpower”, equipment and machinery.

“It’s impossible in hell the staff would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess supports calls for the whales to be removed right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In recent months, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a bid to export the whales to China.

“Allowing the request would have meant a ongoing life in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that whales belong in the wild, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an transfer that would prolong the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments indicate a wider misunderstanding 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 ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers struggle to find a solution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has been contentious. The planned site, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a permanent resolution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Others say the possibility of a sanctuary represents a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable solution in the coming months.

The project lead, leader of the initiative, said the facility will simulate the cognitive activities and diet the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|