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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities prevented the transfer of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are kept stated it would consider to put them down unless the government pays for the upkeep of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and group interactions suggest they are deeply intelligent animals – something a former trainer observed first-hand.

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

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so amazed by the subtleties and quirks in their dispositions. She developed a particular love for a pair of whales with different personalities.

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

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales progressed against a background of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the park links to age-related causes, but which advocates say indicates the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not open to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but previously asserted: “The whales … receive far superior medical attention and 24/7 attention than any person in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an sick beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected details of the death were shared to the media and she was let go soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and staff members in despair. She says the park’s warning to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any efforts to put down even a individual beluga would require “significant personnel”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

Burgess supports demands for the whales to be removed immediately from the facility, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, Canada’s fisheries minister turned down a request to send the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a ongoing existence in captivity and a return to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the wild, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an export that would prolong the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements indicate a more general incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials struggle to find a solution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received regulatory clearance, has shown to be contentious. The planned site, which includes extensive space of protected cove, is not yet built. Proponents remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a long term solution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the prospect of a sanctuary represents a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable plan in the coming months.

The project lead, head of the plan, said the location will mimic the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|