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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute small “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a shuttered park, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense controversy over their destiny often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been carefully observed by the humans who see them each day.

After the federal government blocked the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept threatened to end their lives unless the government funds the expense of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and group interactions point to they are deeply intelligent creatures – something one caretaker discovered personally.

Burgess spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a position that involved earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She cultivated a deep bond for two female belugas with contrasting personalities.

“Eve selected me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both transformed the way I understand bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales progressed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, succumbed. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility attributes to age-related causes, but which campaigners say reflects the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand results of the closure. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and navigate with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but earlier claimed: “The whales … obtain far superior medical attention and 24/7 care than any individual in the Britain, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in early March following the demise of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park suspected details of the incident were disclosed to the press and she was released shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any attempts to put down even a individual beluga would require “significant manpower”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

She supports calls for the whales to be removed immediately from the park, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

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

“Allowing the request would have meant a continued life in captivity and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister stated. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the wild, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience permit an transfer that would continue the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks reflect a broader lack of awareness of the realities of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities attempt to find a answer, proposals have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of food for Inuit communities.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has been most controversial. The prospective site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Proponents remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a long term resolution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the idea of a refuge represents a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible plan in the short term.

An official, leader of the sanctuary project, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|