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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense discussion over their fate often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been closely studied by the people who work with them regularly.

After the federal government prevented the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the authorities covers the cost of their survival. Canada’s marine resources official has rejected that demand, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and group interactions point to they are deeply intelligent creatures – something one caretaker discovered personally.

Burgess spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a job that entailed earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the subtleties and quirks in their dispositions. She formed a particular love for a pair of whales with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale chose me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Each altered the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s interaction with the whales progressed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her tenure at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, succumbed. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the park links to age-related causes, but which advocates say indicates the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and swim around with chunks in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not reply to a request for comment, but previously stated: “The whales … receive far superior medical attention and 24/7 care than any human in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in early March following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park thought particulars of the death were leaked to the press and she was fired not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any attempts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “considerable manpower”, vehicles and machinery.

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

She advocates for calls for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a request to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a continued situation in confinement and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that belugas should be in the sea, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing approve an transfer that would prolong the situation these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks reveal a more general lack of awareness of the realities of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats 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 simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a resolution, proposals have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has shown to be most controversial. The prospective facility, which includes extensive space of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain optimistic that it could in time represent a sustainable resolution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the possibility of a sanctuary reflects a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a workable approach in the short term.

Charles Vinick, head of the initiative, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|