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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable little “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a defunct facility, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated discussion over their destiny often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the people who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to end their lives unless the federal government funds the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are deeply intelligent mammals – something one caretaker discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a role that involved earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the outset, 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 wonderful and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so amazed by the nuances and quirks in their personalities. She cultivated a particular love for two female belugas with contrasting personalities.

“One whale selected me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Both changed the way I view relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales progressed against a background of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her three years at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the facility links to age-related causes, but which campaigners say reflects the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not operate to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the shutdown. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and navigate with chunks in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not respond to a inquiry, but in the past stated: “The whales … receive far better health care and 24/7 attention than any person in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in early March following the passing of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park suspected particulars of the death were shared to the media and she was fired soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “immense staff”, equipment and machinery.

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

She backs calls for the whales to be transferred immediately from the park, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a bid to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a ongoing life in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official stated. “As the public, we know that whales are meant for the wild, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience permit an relocation that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s remarks reveal a wider lack of awareness of the realities of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a answer, proposals have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A planned refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The planned location, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term resolution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the prospect of a sanctuary represents a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable approach in the coming months.

An official, leader of the sanctuary project, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales get from specialists, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|