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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a tussle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated debate over their future often fails to consider the individual traits 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 prevented the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near Niagara Falls where they are housed stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the federal government funds the expense of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and social skills indicate they are remarkably smart mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a job that involved gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the details and unique traits in their characters. She formed a deep bond for a pair of whales with contrasting natures.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Each changed the way I perceive relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales progressed against a context of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her time at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which advocates say indicates the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and swim around with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but earlier stated: “The whales … obtain far superior veterinary services and around the clock supervision than any human in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in the spring following the death of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the facility suspected details of the death were shared to the press and she was fired not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “considerable personnel”, equipment and heavy equipment.

“It cannot happen in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess advocates for demands for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In late September, the nation’s government official rejected a bid to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a ongoing situation in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals should be in the sea, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience approve an transfer that would continue the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements reflect a broader incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas raised in confinement.

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

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a resolution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. 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 sustenance for local populations.

A suggested refuge in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has proven most controversial. The prospective location, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain positive that it could in time represent a permanent answer for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the idea of a refuge represents a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a viable solution in the short term.

Charles Vinick, director of the initiative, said the facility will simulate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|