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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable little “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a struggle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned controversy over their destiny often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been carefully observed by the humans who see them each day.

After the national authorities blocked the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling facility near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to end their lives unless the authorities covers the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and social skills point to they are remarkably smart mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned directly.

She spent several years as a beluga trainer, a position that required earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She formed a particular love for a pair of whales with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve chose me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both changed the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales progressed against a background of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her time at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the park ascribes to natural mortality, but which advocates say points to the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not open to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly effects of the cessation. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but previously claimed: “The whales … get far superior medical attention and 24/7 attention than any human in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in recent months following the demise of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected information of the death were leaked to the media and she was released not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s warning to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any attempts to put down even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

She backs demands for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official rejected a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“Allowing the application would have meant a perpetual existence in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that whales belong in the wild, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience authorize an transfer that would prolong 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 existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a resolution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for local populations.

A proposed refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received regulatory clearance, has been most controversial. The planned site, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a permanent solution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the possibility of a protected habitat reflects a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a workable plan in the coming months.

The project lead, director of the initiative, said the facility will replicate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|