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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming small “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their destiny often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities blocked the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept warned to euthanize them unless the authorities pays for the expense of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and group interactions suggest they are deeply intelligent creatures – something one caretaker discovered directly.

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

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the details and quirks in their characters. She cultivated a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with different temperaments.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each transformed the way I understand connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s connection with the whales evolved against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her three years at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which activists say indicates the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly effects of the shutdown. “Concrete is falling apart from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but in the past stated: “The whales … receive far better health care and 24/7 attention than any person in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park thought information of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any attempts to put down even a individual beluga would require “considerable staff”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess backs demands for the whales to be removed immediately from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a proposal to transfer the whales to China.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a continued existence in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the official stated. “As the public, we know that marine mammals are meant for the sea, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an transfer that would continue the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments reveal a broader incorrect perception of the facts of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a resolution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received government approval, has shown to be most controversial. The planned site, which includes a large area of protected cove, is not yet built. Supporters remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a long term resolution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Others say the prospect of a sanctuary represents a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a viable approach in the short term.

The project lead, leader of the sanctuary project, said the facility will simulate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|