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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an cute little “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a closed attraction, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the heated controversy over their future often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the federal government disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling attraction near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the government funds the upkeep of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and group interactions point to they are highly cognitive creatures – something one caretaker discovered first-hand.

She spent several years as a beluga trainer, a job that involved earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the start, 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 extraordinary and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so astounded by the details and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She formed a special affection for a pair of whales with opposing natures.

“Eve selected me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Each altered the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s relationship with the whales developed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility attributes to age-related causes, but which campaigners say reflects the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly results of the cessation. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and move about with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a request for comment, but in the past stated: “The whales … get far superior veterinary services and around the clock supervision than any person in the Britain, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility believed particulars of the incident were leaked to the media and she was let go not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any efforts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant personnel”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess backs requests for the whales to be taken right away from the park, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In recent months, the nation’s government official rejected a proposal to export the whales to China.

“Allowing the request would have meant a perpetual life in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that whales belong in the sea, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience permit an transfer that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements reflect a wider misunderstanding of the circumstances of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a solution, ideas have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a key source of nourishment for local populations.

A suggested refuge in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven most controversial. The prospective site, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain hopeful that it could in time represent a sustainable solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the possibility of a protected habitat reflects a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a workable plan in the near future.

An official, director of the initiative, said the location will mimic the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales get from specialists, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|