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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a large but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a struggle between a shuttered park, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense debate over their future often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the humans who see them each day.

After the Canadian government prevented the export of the belugas to China, the embattled facility near Niagara Falls where they are housed stated it would consider to put them down unless the government funds the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and communal behavior point to they are deeply intelligent mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned directly.

Burgess spent several years as a beluga trainer, a role that involved gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the details and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She formed a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing temperaments.

“One whale accepted me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “They altered the way I understand relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her interaction with the whales evolved against a context of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her time at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, died. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which activists say reflects the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but in the past asserted: “The whales … obtain far better veterinary services and constant attention than any individual in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in recent months following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the employees had to put down. She said the park suspected information of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any plans to euthanize even a one beluga would require “considerable manpower”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

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

In recent months, the nation’s government official denied a request to send the whales to China.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a continued life in enclosure and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the wild, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience approve an transfer that would prolong the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments indicate a broader incorrect perception of the facts of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a answer, proposals have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned refuge in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has been highly debated. The prospective location, which includes a large area of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain positive that it could in time represent a long term solution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the idea of a sanctuary reflects a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a feasible solution in the near future.

An official, director of the sanctuary project, said the location will mimic the mental engagement and nutrition the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|