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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a defunct facility, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated discussion over their future often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the people who see them each day.

After the national authorities prevented the export of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the authorities funds the upkeep of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and group interactions indicate they are deeply intelligent creatures – something one caretaker discovered directly.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a position that required earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She formed a particular love for two female belugas with contrasting natures.

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

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s relationship with the whales evolved against a background of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her time at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which activists say points to the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and swim around with pieces in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but earlier claimed: “The whales … obtain far better health care and around the clock care than any individual in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in the spring following the death of Eos, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park suspected particulars of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any efforts to put down even a individual beluga would require “immense manpower”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

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

In late September, the nation’s government official denied a request to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the application would have meant a perpetual life in confinement and a return to performance for audiences,” the official stated. “As society, we know that marine mammals are meant for the wild, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience permit an transfer that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reflect a more general lack of awareness of the facts of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a resolution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven most controversial. The prospective facility, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain hopeful that it could in time represent a sustainable solution for eight of the whales.

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

Different voices say the idea of a protected habitat reflects a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible solution in the short term.

Charles Vinick, head of the plan, said the facility will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|