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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a shuttered park, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense debate over their fate often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the people who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept threatened to put them down unless the government covers the cost of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that demand, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and social skills suggest they are deeply intelligent animals – something Kristy Burgess discovered personally.

Burgess spent three years as a beluga trainer, a role that involved gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the nuances and quirks in their characters. She developed a deep bond for two female belugas with opposing temperaments.

“One whale selected me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each transformed the way I perceive relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales evolved against a background of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her time at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, died. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which advocates say points to the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly effects of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the pools because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and navigate with fragments in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but previously stated: “The whales … obtain far better medical attention and constant care than any individual in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the facility thought information of the incident were shared to the press and she was let go not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any plans to euthanize even a one beluga would require “immense personnel”, trucks and heavy equipment.

“It cannot happen in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

She advocates for calls for the whales to be removed promptly from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

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

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a ongoing existence in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that marine mammals should be in the wild, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing permit an transfer that would prolong the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments reflect a more general misunderstanding of the facts of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, proposals have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A planned refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has proven most controversial. The planned location, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Supporters remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a sustainable solution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the possibility of a protected habitat reflects a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a viable approach in the short term.

An official, leader of the sanctuary project, said the location will simulate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales get from trainers, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|