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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a closed attraction, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the heated discussion over their destiny often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been closely studied by the people who interact with them daily.

After the federal government disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling facility near Niagara Falls where they are kept threatened to euthanize them unless the government funds the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that demand, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, problem solving and communal behavior point to they are remarkably smart animals – something a former trainer observed first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that required earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so amazed by the nuances and quirks in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for two female belugas with opposing natures.

“One whale selected me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “They transformed the way I perceive bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s interaction with the whales evolved against a background of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her time at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, succumbed. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park links to age-related causes, but which activists say indicates the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and swim around with chunks in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but earlier asserted: “The whales … receive far higher quality veterinary services and 24/7 supervision than any individual in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in early March following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park suspected particulars of the incident were disclosed to the press and she was let go soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in distress. She says the facility’s threat to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any plans to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, trucks and specialized tools.

“There’s no way in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official denied a bid to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the application would have meant a perpetual existence in confinement and a return to public entertainment,” the official stated. “As Canadians, we know that belugas are meant for the wild, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an relocation that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements reflect a wider misunderstanding of the facts of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a answer, proposals have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A planned protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which has received government approval, has been contentious. The future site, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain hopeful that it could in time represent a permanent solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the prospect of a protected habitat indicates a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a feasible solution in the coming months.

An official, head of the sanctuary project, said the location will mimic the mental engagement and nutrition the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|