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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a struggle between a closed attraction, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated discussion over their future often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near the famous falls where they are kept threatened to end their lives unless the federal government pays for the expense of their survival. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and communal behavior suggest they are highly cognitive mammals – something Kristy Burgess observed personally.

Burgess spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a job that entailed gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so surprised by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She developed a special affection for a pair of whales with opposing personalities.

“Eve chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “They transformed the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales developed against a background of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, passed away. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which activists say points to the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the shutdown. “Structural materials is breaking off 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 mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but earlier stated: “The whales … receive far better medical attention and constant attention than any individual in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in the spring following the demise of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the facility suspected information of the death were leaked to the news outlets and she was released soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any attempts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant manpower”, vehicles and machinery.

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

Burgess advocates for demands for the whales to be transferred promptly from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In late September, Canada’s government official rejected a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a ongoing existence in enclosure and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that whales are meant for the sea, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in good conscience permit an relocation that would prolong the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments reveal a wider misunderstanding of the facts of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials struggle to find a solution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A proposed protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received regulatory clearance, has been most controversial. The future site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Supporters remain optimistic that it could in time represent a long term resolution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the possibility of a protected habitat reflects a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible solution in the short term.

Charles Vinick, head of the initiative, said the location will replicate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|