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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute little “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a large but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a defunct facility, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned debate over their future often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the federal government disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are held warned to euthanize them unless the government covers the upkeep of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that demand, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and group interactions indicate they are deeply intelligent animals – something a former trainer observed directly.

Burgess spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that required earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so amazed by the details and quirks in their characters. She developed a deep bond for two female belugas with opposing natures.

“Eve selected me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Each altered the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales evolved against a background of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her three years at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park links to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say reflects the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not open to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the cessation. “Concrete is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and move about with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but in the past asserted: “The whales … receive far better veterinary services and around the clock supervision than any person in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in early March following the death of a beluga, an unwell beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park suspected details of the death were leaked to the press and she was released soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any attempts to put down even a one beluga would require “immense manpower”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

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

In recent months, the nation’s government official rejected a proposal to send the whales to China.

“To approve the application would have meant a perpetual existence in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that whales should be in the wild, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience permit an relocation that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

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

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials struggle to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has shown to be contentious. The future site, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain positive that it could ultimately represent a permanent resolution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the possibility of a sanctuary indicates a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a workable solution in the short term.

An official, leader of the plan, said the site will replicate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|