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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an cute little “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their future often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near the famous falls where they are housed warned to end their lives unless the government pays for the upkeep of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and group interactions point to they are deeply intelligent creatures – something one caretaker observed first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a beluga trainer, a job that entailed earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the details and unique traits in their dispositions. She formed a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing temperaments.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Each altered the way I perceive bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her three years at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the park links to expected lifespan, but which activists say points to the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly results of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and swim around with chunks in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a request for comment, but in the past stated: “The whales … receive far superior veterinary services and around the clock attention than any individual in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in the spring following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park believed particulars of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was released soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any plans to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “immense personnel”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

Burgess supports calls for the whales to be transferred right away from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister rejected a request to send the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the request would have meant a ongoing existence in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that marine mammals are meant for the ocean, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience authorize an relocation that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reflect a wider incorrect perception of the facts of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers struggle to find a solution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a key source of nourishment for local populations.

A planned refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which now received government approval, has shown to be highly debated. The planned location, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a long term solution for a number of the whales.

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

Others say the prospect of a protected habitat indicates a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a viable solution in the short term.

Charles Vinick, director of the plan, said the location will replicate the cognitive activities and diet the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|