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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute little “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a shuttered park, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their future often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government disallowed the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the federal government covers the cost of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that request, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and social skills indicate they are remarkably smart animals – something one caretaker discovered directly.

Burgess spent several years as a beluga trainer, a role that involved earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the subtleties and quirks in their characters. She cultivated a special affection for a pair of whales with opposing personalities.

“One whale selected me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Both altered the way I view connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales evolved against a context of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, died. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility links to natural mortality, but which activists say indicates the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The park did not operate to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly results of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not comment to a inquiry, but earlier asserted: “The whales … get far superior veterinary services and constant attention than any human in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the park in recent months following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the park believed details of the incident were shared to the news outlets and she was released shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant manpower”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess advocates for demands for the whales to be removed immediately from the facility, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In the autumn, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a bid to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the request would have meant a continued life in enclosure and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that whales belong in the sea, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing permit an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements reveal a broader misunderstanding of the facts of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers work to find a solution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of food for local populations.

A suggested protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The prospective site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Proponents remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a permanent answer for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the idea of a refuge represents a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the initiative, said the site will mimic the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|