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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an cute small “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a shuttered park, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated debate over their future often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the national authorities blocked the export of the belugas to China, the embattled facility near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to end their lives unless the authorities funds the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior indicate they are deeply intelligent animals – something Kristy Burgess discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a position that entailed building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so astounded by the nuances and unique traits in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for two female belugas with different natures.

“One whale chose me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Each changed the way I perceive relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales progressed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her time at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, died. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the facility attributes to age-related causes, but which advocates say points to the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously stated: “The whales … get far higher quality health care and around the clock care than any individual in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in early March following the passing of a beluga, an unwell beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the park suspected particulars of the death were disclosed to the press and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s threat to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any efforts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “considerable manpower”, vehicles and machinery.

“It cannot happen in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

She supports requests for the whales to be transferred promptly from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a proposal to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the request would have meant a ongoing situation in confinement and a return to public entertainment,” the official stated. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals are meant for the sea, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would prolong the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reveal a wider lack of awareness of the circumstances of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials work to find a answer, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of food for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received official endorsement, has proven contentious. The prospective location, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Supporters remain positive that it could eventually represent a sustainable solution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ future.

Others say the prospect of a sanctuary indicates a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable solution in the coming months.

The project lead, director of the sanctuary project, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|