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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an cute little “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a defunct facility, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the federal government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the federal government pays for the expense of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that demand, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and group interactions suggest they are deeply intelligent animals – something one caretaker learned first-hand.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that involved earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication 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 open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so amazed by the subtleties and quirks in their dispositions. She formed a particular love for two female belugas with opposing personalities.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They altered the way I perceive bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales developed against a context of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her tenure at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility links to expected lifespan, but which activists say indicates the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and navigate with chunks in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but previously asserted: “The whales … obtain far higher quality medical attention and constant supervision than any human in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in early March following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the facility thought details of the incident were disclosed to the press and she was let go not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the facility’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any plans to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “immense manpower”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be removed immediately from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a request to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a perpetual situation in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official stated. “As the public, we know that belugas are meant for the sea, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience authorize an export that would prolong the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments reflect a more general misunderstanding of the circumstances of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a answer, ideas have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a important part of food for Inuit communities.

A suggested refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The future facility, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Supporters remain positive that it could in time represent a permanent resolution for some of the whales.

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

Some experts say the prospect of a refuge indicates a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a viable solution in the near future.

The project lead, leader of the initiative, said the site will replicate the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|