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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute small “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a tussle between a shuttered park, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their future often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities disallowed the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial facility near Niagara Falls where they are kept threatened to end their lives unless the federal government pays for the upkeep of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, problem solving and social skills indicate they are remarkably smart creatures – something a former trainer observed directly.

She spent several years as a whale caretaker, a position that required earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the nuances and unique traits in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for a pair of whales with opposing temperaments.

“One whale selected me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both changed the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales progressed against a background of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her time at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, died. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility attributes to age-related causes, but which activists say points to the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the cessation. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and navigate with fragments in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

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

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the park suspected details of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was let go not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s threat to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any attempts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “immense staff”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess advocates for demands for the whales to be removed promptly from the park, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

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

“Allowing the application would have meant a ongoing existence in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that whales should be in the ocean, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing permit an relocation that would prolong the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reflect a wider misunderstanding of the realities of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a solution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which now received government approval, has shown to be highly debated. The prospective facility, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, is not yet built. Proponents remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a sustainable answer for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the prospect of a sanctuary indicates a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable approach in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the sanctuary project, said the location will mimic the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|