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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute small “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a tussle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned discussion over their destiny often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the people who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept stated it would consider to put them down unless the federal government covers the expense of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are highly cognitive creatures – something a former trainer discovered personally.

Burgess spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a position that required gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the nuances and unique traits in their personalities. She developed a special affection for a pair of whales with different temperaments.

“Eve selected me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Each changed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales evolved against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her three years at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which activists say indicates the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly results of the cessation. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a request for comment, but earlier claimed: “The whales … get far superior health care and 24/7 care than any individual in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in the spring following the death of a beluga, an unwell beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the facility thought particulars of the incident were disclosed to the news outlets and she was fired not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any attempts to put down even a single beluga would require “significant manpower”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

She supports demands for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

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

“To approve the application would have meant a perpetual life in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As society, we know that belugas are meant for the ocean, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing approve an relocation that would prolong the conditions these belugas have endured.”

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

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a resolution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of sustenance for local populations.

A suggested protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received government approval, has proven most controversial. The prospective location, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a permanent solution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the idea of a sanctuary represents a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible approach in the short term.

An official, director of the plan, said the site will replicate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|