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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable little “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense discussion over their destiny often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the federal government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are housed stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the government covers the cost of their survival. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that demand, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and group interactions indicate they are deeply intelligent mammals – something one caretaker observed directly.

Burgess spent several years as a beluga trainer, a job that required gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so astounded by the nuances and quirks in their dispositions. She developed a particular love for two female belugas with different temperaments.

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

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales evolved against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her time at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility ascribes to natural mortality, but which advocates say points to the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the closure. “Structural materials is falling apart from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously asserted: “The whales … receive far better health care and 24/7 attention than any individual in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in recent months following the death of a beluga, an sick beluga the employees had to put down. She said the park believed particulars of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was released not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate 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 “extremely difficult” task, adding any plans to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “immense staff”, equipment and specialized tools.

“There’s no way 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 deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In recent months, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the application would have meant a perpetual existence in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that whales should be in the sea, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would continue the treatment these belugas have endured.”

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

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities work to find a solution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for local populations.

A suggested refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which now received government approval, has proven highly debated. The prospective site, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain hopeful that it could in time represent a permanent resolution for some of the whales.

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

Different voices say the possibility of a refuge reflects a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a viable solution in the short term.

The project lead, director of the sanctuary project, said the facility will replicate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|