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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a struggle between a closed attraction, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the intense controversy over their destiny often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities prevented the transfer of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are kept threatened to end their lives unless the government covers the cost of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and social skills suggest they are highly cognitive animals – something one caretaker observed first-hand.

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

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She formed a deep bond for a pair of whales with opposing temperaments.

“Eve selected me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both changed the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales progressed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, died. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility attributes to expected lifespan, but which advocates say points to the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not operate to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but previously stated: “The whales … obtain far superior veterinary services and around the clock care than any human in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in recent months following the death of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park thought particulars of the death were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and current and former trainers in despair. She says the park’s warning to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “immense manpower”, vehicles and specialized tools.

“It’s impossible in hell the staff would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess supports demands for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In recent months, the nation’s fisheries minister rejected a proposal to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the request would have meant a continued existence in confinement and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister commented. “As society, we know that marine mammals are meant for the sea, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing permit an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks reveal a more general misunderstanding of the realities of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a solution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of food for Indigenous peoples.

A planned sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received regulatory clearance, has shown to be contentious. The prospective facility, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain hopeful that it could in time represent a sustainable resolution for a number of the whales.

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

Some experts say the possibility of a protected habitat reflects a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable approach in the short term.

An official, head of the sanctuary project, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|