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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a tussle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their future often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who see them each day.

After the federal government prevented the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling facility near Niagara Falls where they are housed stated it would consider to put them down unless the federal government pays for the cost of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and group interactions indicate they are highly cognitive animals – something one caretaker learned personally.

She spent several years as a whale caretaker, a role that required gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She formed a particular love for two female belugas with different personalities.

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

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales progressed against a context of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. 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 indicates the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the cessation. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but in the past stated: “The whales … obtain far higher quality veterinary services and 24/7 supervision than any individual in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in early March following the death of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the park believed details of the incident were leaked to the media and she was released soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and staff members in anguish. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any efforts to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “immense manpower”, equipment and machinery.

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

She backs demands for the whales to be removed right away from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

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

“Granting the application would have meant a perpetual situation in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that belugas belong in the sea, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reveal a more general misunderstanding of the circumstances of life for belugas born in captivity.

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

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials work to find a answer, ideas have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has been contentious. The prospective location, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain positive that it could eventually represent a sustainable answer for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the prospect of a refuge reflects a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a viable solution in the coming months.

An official, director of the plan, said the facility will simulate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|