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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “playful character”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a tussle between a defunct facility, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense debate over their future often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the humans who see them each day.

After the national authorities disallowed the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the federal government funds the expense of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and group interactions suggest they are highly cognitive creatures – something Kristy Burgess learned directly.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a role that required earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so surprised by the subtleties and unique traits in their dispositions. She cultivated a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with different personalities.

“Eve accepted me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Both altered the way I perceive connection.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her three years at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility links to natural mortality, but which advocates say reflects the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly results of the shutdown. “Structural materials is falling apart from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but in the past stated: “The whales … obtain far better health care and 24/7 supervision than any individual in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in recent months following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the park thought particulars of the incident were shared to the news outlets and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “considerable personnel”, trucks 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 park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

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

“Allowing the application would have meant a ongoing life in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister stated. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals are meant for the wild, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience permit an export that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reveal a more general lack of awareness of the facts of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a solution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received government approval, has been highly debated. The future location, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain positive that it could ultimately represent a sustainable resolution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the possibility of a sanctuary indicates a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a viable solution in the near future.

The project lead, director of the sanctuary project, said the facility will replicate the mental engagement and diet the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|