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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable small “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a struggle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their future often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial facility near Niagara Falls where they are kept stated it would consider to put them down unless the government pays for the expense of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and group interactions point to they are highly cognitive creatures – something a former trainer observed personally.

She spent several years as a beluga trainer, a position that required building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the details and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She developed a particular love for a pair of whales with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “They changed the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s connection with the whales developed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a toll which the park links to age-related causes, but which advocates say reflects the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not open to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is falling apart from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and swim around with chunks in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but earlier asserted: “The whales … receive far higher quality veterinary services and 24/7 care than any person in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in early March following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park believed details of the incident were leaked to the press and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any plans to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “immense staff”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

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

In the autumn, the nation’s government official rejected a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the application would have meant a perpetual situation in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals are meant for the ocean, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in good conscience authorize an relocation that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements indicate a broader lack of awareness of the realities of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a solution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of food for local populations.

A planned refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has proven most controversial. The future facility, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Proponents remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the possibility of a protected habitat represents a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible approach in the short term.

Charles Vinick, head of the plan, said the site will replicate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|