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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a struggle between a defunct facility, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government blocked the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are kept stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the government covers the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, problem solving and communal behavior point to they are deeply intelligent creatures – something a former trainer learned first-hand.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a role that involved gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. 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 nevertheless surprised by the subtleties and unique traits in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for two female belugas with different natures.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both changed the way I perceive bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s connection with the whales developed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her three years at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility links to natural mortality, but which campaigners say indicates the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The park did not admit visitors to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but in the past claimed: “The whales … get far better veterinary services and 24/7 attention than any person in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the park in the spring following the death of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park believed information of the death were leaked to the media and she was released soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any attempts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “significant personnel”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

She supports demands for the whales to be transferred immediately from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a continued situation in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the minister stated. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the sea, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience permit an export that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reveal a wider misunderstanding of the realities of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities attempt to find a solution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which now received official endorsement, has been highly debated. The planned site, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a sustainable solution for a number of the whales.

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

Some experts say the idea of a protected habitat reflects a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable solution in the short term.

Charles Vinick, head of the initiative, said the location will replicate the mental engagement and diet the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|