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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming small “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a tussle between a defunct facility, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned debate over their destiny often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been carefully observed by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities prevented the export of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to end their lives unless the federal government covers the expense of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and group interactions point to they are remarkably smart mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a beluga trainer, a job that required gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the nuances and unique traits in their characters. She cultivated a particular love for two female belugas with opposing temperaments.

“One whale chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “They transformed the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

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

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility links to age-related causes, but which campaigners say reflects the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not open to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but earlier stated: “The whales … receive far better medical attention and constant attention than any human in the UK, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the employees had to put down. She said the facility believed particulars of the incident were shared to the news outlets and she was fired not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any efforts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant manpower”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

She backs requests for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In recent months, the nation’s fisheries minister rejected a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a ongoing situation in enclosure and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that whales belong in the sea, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience authorize an export that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements indicate a broader misunderstanding of the facts of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely 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 ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials struggle to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A planned sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received official endorsement, has proven most controversial. The prospective location, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Advocates remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a permanent solution 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 “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the prospect of a protected habitat reflects a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a workable approach in the coming months.

The project lead, director of the plan, said the location will replicate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|