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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute small “playful character”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a shuttered park, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense debate over their fate often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been carefully observed by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the federal government prevented the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are housed stated it would consider to end their lives unless the government funds the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are deeply intelligent creatures – something one caretaker learned directly.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a position that entailed earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the details and quirks in their personalities. She formed a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with different natures.

“One whale accepted me. The other required effort,” she said. “Both transformed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales progressed against a background of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the park links to natural mortality, but which advocates say points to the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly consequences of the closure. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not respond to a request for comment, but previously asserted: “The whales … get far better medical attention and 24/7 attention than any human in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the park in the spring following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the park thought details of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and staff members in despair. She says the park’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any efforts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “significant staff”, equipment 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 taken right away from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister rejected a bid to send the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a ongoing existence in confinement and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister commented. “As society, we know that marine mammals should be in the sea, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience authorize an relocation that would continue the situation these belugas have endured.”

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

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a resolution, ideas have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of nourishment for local populations.

A proposed refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received official endorsement, has proven most controversial. The prospective site, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain hopeful that it could in time represent a permanent resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the possibility of a refuge reflects a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable solution in the short term.

An official, director of the sanctuary project, said the site will simulate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|