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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming little “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a shuttered park, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense controversy over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities disallowed the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept threatened to end their lives unless the authorities funds the expense of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior indicate they are highly cognitive creatures – something one caretaker discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a job that entailed building relationships of the marine predators.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so astounded by the details and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She formed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing temperaments.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “They altered the way I understand connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales progressed against a context of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her three years at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which advocates say reflects the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not admit visitors to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but earlier claimed: “The whales … receive far higher quality veterinary services and around the clock supervision than any person in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in early March following the demise of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the facility believed details of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left her and staff members in anguish. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any efforts to put down even a one beluga would require “significant personnel”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess backs requests for the whales to be removed promptly from the park, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official turned down a bid to export the whales to China.

“Allowing the request would have meant a continued life in enclosure and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister wrote. “As society, we know that belugas belong in the ocean, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in good conscience authorize an relocation that would prolong the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements reveal a broader lack of awareness of the facts of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a resolution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received regulatory clearance, has shown to be most controversial. The planned facility, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a long term resolution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the possibility of a protected habitat reflects a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable plan in the short term.

An official, head of the initiative, said the facility will replicate the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|