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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a tussle between a defunct facility, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned controversy over their destiny often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the people who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities prevented the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial attraction near Niagara Falls where they are housed stated it would consider to put them down unless the government funds the cost of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior point to they are highly cognitive mammals – something a former trainer learned first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a beluga trainer, a position that entailed earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so surprised by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She cultivated a special affection for a pair of whales with different natures.

“One whale chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each transformed the way I understand bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s relationship with the whales progressed against a context of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her time at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, died. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which advocates say reflects the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The facility did not open to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but earlier claimed: “The whales … get far higher quality health care and 24/7 care than any individual in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in early March following the death of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the park believed information of the incident were shared to the media and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any attempts to put down even a one beluga would require “significant manpower”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be removed promptly from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

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

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a ongoing existence in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that whales should be in the sea, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience permit an relocation that would prolong the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reflect a broader incorrect perception of the facts of life for belugas born in captivity.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a solution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has shown to be highly debated. The prospective location, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a long term solution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the prospect of a sanctuary reflects a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a workable plan in the near future.

An official, director of the plan, said the location will simulate the mental engagement and diet the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|