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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute little “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a tussle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated controversy over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities prevented the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled attraction near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to put them down unless the federal government funds the expense of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and social skills indicate they are remarkably smart mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned first-hand.

Burgess spent three years as a beluga trainer, a role that involved earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Building up 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. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the subtleties and unique traits in their dispositions. She developed a special affection for two female belugas with opposing natures.

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

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s connection with the whales developed against a context of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park attributes to expected lifespan, but which activists say points to the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The facility did not open to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and swim around with fragments in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not comment to a inquiry, but in the past stated: “The whales … obtain far superior veterinary services and around the clock care than any individual in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in the spring following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility suspected particulars of the incident were disclosed to the press and she was released soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any attempts to put down even a individual beluga would require “significant staff”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

She supports demands for the whales to be removed immediately from the facility, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In recent months, Canada’s government official denied a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the application would have meant a continued situation in captivity and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official stated. “As the public, we know that belugas are meant for the sea, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience approve an export that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reflect a broader lack of awareness of the circumstances of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials struggle to find a answer, ideas have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of sustenance for local populations.

A suggested refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received regulatory clearance, has proven most controversial. The planned location, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Supporters remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a long term answer for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the idea of a protected habitat reflects a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible solution in the coming months.

The project lead, head of the plan, said the facility will simulate the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|