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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a tussle between a closed attraction, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the people who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities disallowed the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling facility near Niagara Falls where they are held warned to euthanize them unless the authorities pays for the upkeep of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and group interactions indicate they are remarkably smart creatures – something one caretaker learned first-hand.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a position that entailed building relationships of the marine predators.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the nuances and unique traits in their dispositions. She developed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing personalities.

“One whale chose me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Both changed the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s relationship with the whales developed against a context of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the park attributes to natural mortality, but which advocates say reflects the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand effects of the cessation. “Structural materials is falling apart from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but earlier asserted: “The whales … receive far better medical attention and around the clock care than any person in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in recent months following the passing of Eos, an ailing beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park thought information of the incident were shared to the press and she was let go soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any attempts to put down even a individual beluga would require “immense manpower”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

Burgess supports calls for the whales to be transferred promptly from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a continued situation in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the minister stated. “As the public, we know that belugas should be in the wild, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience approve an export that would prolong the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reveal a more general misunderstanding of the realities of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers attempt to find a answer, ideas have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of food for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has been contentious. The planned facility, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Advocates remain positive that it could ultimately represent a permanent resolution for a number of the whales.

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

Others say the idea of a protected habitat indicates a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible approach in the short term.

Charles Vinick, head of the initiative, said the location will mimic the mental engagement and diet the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|