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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an cute little “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a tussle between a shuttered park, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their destiny often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government prevented the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept warned to end their lives unless the authorities pays for the cost of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and social skills suggest they are highly cognitive creatures – something one caretaker observed directly.

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

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so astounded by the details and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She cultivated a special affection for a pair of whales with contrasting natures.

“One whale accepted me. The other required effort,” she said. “Each transformed the way I perceive relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales developed against a context of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the park ascribes to age-related causes, but which activists say points to the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not admit visitors to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is breaking off from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not comment to a inquiry, but previously claimed: “The whales … get far higher quality veterinary services and around the clock care than any human in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the facility suspected details of the death were leaked to the press and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any plans to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “immense personnel”, trucks and machinery.

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

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

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

“Granting the request would have meant a ongoing situation in captivity and a return to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that whales belong in the ocean, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments reflect a more general misunderstanding of the facts of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

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

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A planned protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has proven most controversial. The prospective site, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain hopeful that it could in time represent a sustainable answer for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the prospect of a refuge reflects a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible approach in the coming months.

The project lead, director of the plan, said the location will simulate the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|