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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a struggle between a defunct facility, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the people who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government blocked the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the federal government funds the upkeep of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and social skills point to they are highly cognitive mammals – something a former trainer learned first-hand.

Burgess spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that involved building relationships of the sea creatures.

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

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so astounded by the nuances and quirks in their characters. She developed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale selected me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both transformed the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales evolved against a context of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, died. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility links to natural mortality, but which activists say reflects the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not open to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand effects of the cessation. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not comment to a questionnaire, but earlier asserted: “The whales … get far higher quality veterinary services and around the clock attention than any human in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the employees had to put down. She said the facility believed information of the death were leaked to the press and she was released not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “considerable staff”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess advocates for calls for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister rejected a proposal to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a ongoing life in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister stated. “As Canadians, we know that whales are meant for the ocean, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would continue the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments indicate a wider incorrect perception of the realities of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of food for Indigenous peoples.

A planned refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has been most controversial. The future site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain hopeful that it could in time represent a long term resolution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Others say the idea of a protected habitat reflects a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a workable approach in the short term.

Charles Vinick, leader of the initiative, said the facility will simulate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|