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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a struggle between a closed attraction, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their fate often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the federal government blocked the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling facility near Niagara Falls where they are housed warned to put them down unless the federal government covers the cost of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and social skills indicate they are deeply intelligent mammals – something one caretaker observed personally.

She spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that required gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and unique traits in their characters. She cultivated a deep bond for a pair of whales with opposing personalities.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They changed the way I understand connection.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s connection with the whales progressed against a background of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her time at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, died. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say points to the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is falling apart from the pools because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and navigate with chunks in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not comment to a inquiry, but previously stated: “The whales … obtain far superior veterinary services and constant attention than any human in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in the spring following the death of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park believed details of the incident were disclosed to the news outlets and she was let go soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any plans to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “considerable manpower”, equipment and machinery.

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

She supports calls for the whales to be transferred promptly from the park, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In recent months, the nation’s government official rejected a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a perpetual existence in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As society, we know that whales belong in the ocean, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing permit an transfer that would prolong the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements reveal a wider misunderstanding of the circumstances of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has been most controversial. The prospective facility, which includes a large area of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a permanent resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the prospect of a refuge reflects a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a workable solution in the near future.

Charles Vinick, director of the initiative, said the facility will simulate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|