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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable little “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a struggle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the intense discussion over their future often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities blocked the export of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the federal government funds the upkeep of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and group interactions suggest they are highly cognitive mammals – something one caretaker learned first-hand.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a job that required building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so astounded by the nuances and quirks in their dispositions. She developed a special affection for two female belugas with contrasting natures.

“One whale selected me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both changed the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales progressed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which activists say points to the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the cessation. “Concrete is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and navigate with chunks in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a request for comment, but earlier claimed: “The whales … obtain far better veterinary services and around the clock attention than any individual in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in early March following the death of a beluga, an unwell beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the park thought information of the incident were shared to the press and she was let go not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left her and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s threat to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any plans to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

She supports calls for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a perpetual existence in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that whales should be in the ocean, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience approve an transfer that would continue the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reveal a more general incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a solution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a important part of nourishment for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received regulatory clearance, has shown to be most controversial. The future location, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Advocates remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a sustainable answer for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the idea of a protected habitat reflects a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible approach in the short term.

An official, leader of the plan, said the location will simulate the mental engagement and diet the whales receive 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|