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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute small “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a struggle between a shuttered park, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the heated discussion over their fate often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government prevented the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling attraction near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the authorities funds the expense of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and group interactions indicate they are remarkably smart animals – something Kristy Burgess observed directly.

She spent three years as a beluga trainer, a position that involved building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the nuances and unique traits in their personalities. She developed a special affection for a pair of whales with contrasting natures.

“Eve accepted me. The other required effort,” she said. “They altered the way I understand connection.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, passed away. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the facility links to expected lifespan, but which advocates say indicates the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The facility did not operate to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the shutdown. “Concrete is falling apart from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and navigate with chunks in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but in the past asserted: “The whales … obtain far higher quality veterinary services and 24/7 supervision than any human in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the park in the spring following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the facility thought particulars of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “considerable manpower”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for demands for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

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

“To approve the request would have meant a continued existence in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister wrote. “As society, we know that whales belong in the wild, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an export that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks reflect a broader misunderstanding of the facts of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a resolution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which has received government approval, has shown to be contentious. The future facility, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a long term solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers 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 reflects a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible solution in the short term.

The project lead, leader of the sanctuary project, said the location will simulate the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|