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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable little “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a closed attraction, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the intense controversy over their fate often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the federal government prevented the transfer of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are held warned to end their lives unless the authorities pays for the expense of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and group interactions point to they are remarkably smart mammals – something a former trainer learned first-hand.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a position that entailed earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

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

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so amazed by the subtleties and quirks in their personalities. She cultivated a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with different temperaments.

“Eve selected me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They transformed the way I understand relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales developed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, passed away. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility links to natural mortality, but which campaigners say points to the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand effects of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and swim around with pieces in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but previously asserted: “The whales … receive far higher quality health care and around the clock attention than any human in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was fired from the park in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an unwell beluga the employees had to put down. She said the park suspected particulars of the incident were disclosed to the press and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any efforts to put down even a one beluga would require “considerable staff”, equipment and machinery.

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

Burgess advocates for calls for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

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

“To approve the application would have meant a ongoing life in confinement and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that whales are meant for the wild, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience approve an relocation that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments indicate a broader lack of awareness of the realities of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of food for Indigenous peoples.

A planned sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The prospective site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Advocates remain hopeful that it could in time represent a sustainable answer for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the possibility of a protected habitat represents a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible approach in the short term.

Charles Vinick, head of the initiative, said the location will mimic the mental engagement and nutrition the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|