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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable little “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a defunct facility, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the heated discussion over their destiny often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been closely studied by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are housed warned to euthanize them unless the authorities funds the cost of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that demand, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and social skills point to they are remarkably smart animals – something a former trainer learned directly.

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

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very unsure 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 highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the subtleties and quirks in their characters. She formed a particular love for two female belugas with contrasting personalities.

“Eve chose me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They transformed the way I view relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her interaction with the whales developed against a background of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her tenure at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, died. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the park ascribes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say points to the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes effects of the closure. “Structural materials is breaking off from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but in the past stated: “The whales … get far higher quality medical attention and constant attention than any individual in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in early March following the demise of Eos, an sick beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the park believed particulars of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s warning to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “considerable staff”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

She backs calls for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister rejected a proposal to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a perpetual situation in confinement and a return to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As society, we know that whales should be in the ocean, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience approve an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s remarks indicate a broader lack of awareness of the circumstances of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a solution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of nourishment for local populations.

A suggested protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has been most controversial. The prospective location, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Supporters remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a sustainable resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the possibility of a refuge represents a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable plan in the short term.

An official, director of the initiative, said the facility will mimic the mental engagement and diet the whales get from trainers, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|