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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a tussle between a defunct facility, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their future often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the people who interact with them daily.

After the federal government prevented the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are housed stated it would consider to put them down unless the federal government funds the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are deeply intelligent creatures – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

She spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a job that involved gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the nuances and quirks in their personalities. She formed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing natures.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each transformed the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales evolved against a background of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her three years at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say indicates the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not open to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the closure. “Concrete is falling apart from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously claimed: “The whales … get far superior health care and 24/7 attention than any person in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in recent months following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park thought information of the death were disclosed to the press and she was fired soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left her and staff members in distress. She says the park’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “considerable manpower”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess backs requests for the whales to be removed promptly from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official rejected a request to export the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the request would have meant a continued life in confinement and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that whales belong in the ocean, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience approve an export that would continue the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements reveal a broader misunderstanding of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a solution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A suggested refuge in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received regulatory clearance, has been most controversial. The prospective site, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Advocates remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a sustainable solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the possibility of a protected habitat reflects a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a workable solution in the near future.

Charles Vinick, director of the sanctuary project, said the site will replicate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|