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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a large but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a closed attraction, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned discussion over their future often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the federal government blocked the export of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are kept stated it would consider to put them down unless the authorities funds the cost of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and group interactions point to they are remarkably smart creatures – something one caretaker discovered directly.

Burgess spent three years as a whale caretaker, a job that involved earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so surprised by the subtleties and quirks in their characters. She formed a special affection for a pair of whales with contrasting natures.

“One whale selected me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Each altered the way I perceive connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales progressed against a context of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her three years at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a toll which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which advocates say indicates the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand results of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not comment to a questionnaire, but in the past stated: “The whales … obtain far superior veterinary services and 24/7 attention than any person in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in recent months following the death of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park suspected information of the incident were leaked to the press and she was let go not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left her and current and former trainers in despair. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any efforts to put down even a single beluga would require “significant manpower”, trucks and machinery.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be transferred immediately from the park, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In recent months, the nation’s government official denied a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a continued life in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As society, we know that belugas are meant for the ocean, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience approve an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reveal a wider lack of awareness of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials struggle to find a resolution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received government approval, has proven most controversial. The prospective site, which includes extensive space of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a permanent resolution for eight of the whales.

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

Others say the idea of a protected habitat reflects a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable solution in the short term.

An official, director of the initiative, said the location will replicate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|