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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a struggle between a defunct facility, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their future often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the national authorities prevented the export of the belugas to China, the controversial amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are kept stated it would consider to end their lives unless the federal government covers the expense of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and social skills point to they are highly cognitive mammals – something one caretaker discovered personally.

She spent several years as a whale caretaker, a role that entailed building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity 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 vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the nuances and unique traits in their characters. She cultivated a deep bond for a pair of whales with different temperaments.

“Eve selected me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both altered the way I view relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

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

During her three years at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a toll which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say points to the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The facility did not open to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not respond to a request for comment, but previously asserted: “The whales … receive far superior veterinary services and constant supervision than any human in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in early March following the death of Eos, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected details of the incident were shared to the press and she was released not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and staff members in distress. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “significant manpower”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

“There’s no way in hell the staff would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess backs requests for the whales to be removed promptly from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

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

“Allowing the request would have meant a continued life in enclosure and a return to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the ocean, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience authorize an relocation that would continue the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reveal a wider lack of awareness of the facts of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a solution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has proven contentious. The planned facility, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Advocates remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term solution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the prospect of a refuge reflects a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a feasible plan in the short term.

Charles Vinick, director of the sanctuary project, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|