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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming small “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a closed attraction, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated controversy over their destiny often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the federal government prevented the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled attraction near the famous falls where they are housed stated it would consider to end their lives unless the federal government funds the upkeep of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and group interactions point to they are deeply intelligent mammals – something one caretaker discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a beluga trainer, a position that required earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those connections 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 shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the subtleties and quirks in their personalities. She developed a particular love for a pair of whales with different personalities.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “They altered the way I perceive bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales developed against a context of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her three years at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, succumbed. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which activists say reflects the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand effects of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and swim around with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not comment to a request for comment, but earlier claimed: “The whales … get far superior veterinary services and 24/7 attention than any human in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in the spring following the passing of a beluga, an unwell beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park thought details of the death were disclosed to the news outlets and she was released shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “considerable personnel”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess backs calls for the whales to be taken promptly from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In recent months, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a bid to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the application would have meant a ongoing life in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official stated. “As the public, we know that whales belong in the wild, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing authorize an relocation that would continue the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks indicate a more general incorrect perception of the facts of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a resolution, proposals have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of nourishment for local populations.

A proposed protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received government approval, has shown to be most controversial. The prospective facility, which includes a large area of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a permanent answer for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the prospect of a sanctuary represents a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a workable solution in the coming months.

An official, leader of the sanctuary project, said the location will replicate the mental engagement and diet the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|