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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming little “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a closed attraction, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned debate over their future 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 disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near the famous falls where they are kept threatened to put them down unless the authorities pays for the upkeep of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and group interactions point to they are deeply intelligent mammals – something one caretaker learned first-hand.

Burgess spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a job that required building relationships of the marine predators.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

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

“One whale accepted me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They altered the way I perceive connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s connection with the whales progressed against a context of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park links to expected lifespan, but which advocates say reflects the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not admit visitors to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly effects of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously claimed: “The whales … get far better health care and around the clock supervision than any person in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was fired from the park in the spring following the death of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park believed information of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was let go not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left her and staff members in anguish. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant manpower”, vehicles and specialized tools.

“It cannot happen in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess supports calls for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official rejected a proposal to export the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a perpetual life in captivity and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that marine mammals should be in the ocean, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience approve an transfer that would continue the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reflect a broader incorrect perception of the facts of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a solution, ideas have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a important part of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A planned protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received regulatory clearance, has shown to be most controversial. The future location, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain positive that it could in time represent a long term solution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the idea of a refuge indicates a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a workable solution in the short term.

Charles Vinick, leader of the initiative, said the facility will simulate the mental engagement and diet the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|