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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a defunct facility, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their future often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the federal government blocked the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled attraction near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the government funds the expense of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and social skills suggest they are remarkably smart creatures – something a former trainer learned first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that involved gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so surprised by the subtleties and unique traits in their dispositions. She cultivated a special affection for a pair of whales with different natures.

“One whale selected me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They transformed the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales developed against a context of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the park links to age-related causes, but which campaigners say indicates the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly results of the shutdown. “Structural materials is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a request for comment, but in the past claimed: “The whales … receive far superior medical attention and 24/7 supervision than any human in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in recent months following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to put down. She said the park thought particulars of the death were disclosed to the press and she was released not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and staff members in anguish. She says the facility’s threat to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “immense staff”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

She supports calls for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In late September, the nation’s government official turned down a proposal to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the application would have meant a continued existence in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that belugas should be in the wild, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an transfer that would prolong the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments indicate a wider lack of awareness of the circumstances of existence for belugas born in captivity.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers work to find a resolution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of food for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has shown to be highly debated. The prospective facility, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a permanent solution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the idea of a sanctuary indicates a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a viable plan in the short term.

The project lead, leader of the sanctuary project, said the facility will mimic the mental engagement and diet the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|