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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an cute small “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a shuttered park, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their fate often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the federal government disallowed the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed warned to put them down unless the government pays for the upkeep of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has rejected that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and communal behavior suggest they are highly cognitive creatures – something a former trainer learned first-hand.

Burgess spent three years as a whale caretaker, a job that required building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She cultivated a deep bond for a pair of whales with contrasting natures.

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

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her tenure at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility links to natural mortality, but which advocates say reflects the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The facility did not open to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but earlier stated: “The whales … receive far better medical attention and around the clock care than any person in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in early March following the demise of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility thought details of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was released soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any efforts to put down even a one beluga would require “considerable personnel”, vehicles and machinery.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be removed promptly from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a proposal to export the whales to China.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a perpetual life in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that whales should be in the ocean, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience authorize an export that would prolong the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks indicate a wider lack of awareness of the realities of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a answer, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of food for local populations.

A proposed protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which now received official endorsement, has proven most controversial. The future facility, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain positive that it could in time represent a sustainable resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the prospect of a sanctuary reflects a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable approach in the short term.

An official, head of the sanctuary project, said the site will simulate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|