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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute small “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

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

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their future often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the people who work with them regularly.

After the federal government disallowed the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near the famous falls where they are kept warned to put them down unless the authorities funds the upkeep of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and group interactions indicate they are deeply intelligent creatures – something a former trainer observed personally.

Burgess spent three years as a beluga trainer, a role that entailed gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so surprised by the details and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She formed a particular love for two female belugas with contrasting personalities.

“One whale selected me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each changed the way I understand bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales evolved against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her three years at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility ascribes to natural mortality, but which activists say reflects the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not operate to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the cessation. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and navigate with chunks in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but earlier stated: “The whales … obtain far superior medical attention and around the clock attention than any person in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the park in the spring following the demise of Eos, an sick beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility thought particulars of the death were leaked to the media and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left her and current and former trainers in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any efforts to put down even a individual beluga would require “immense manpower”, trucks and heavy equipment.

“It’s impossible in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess advocates for demands for the whales to be transferred immediately from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official denied a proposal to send the whales to China.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a continued existence in captivity and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As society, we know that belugas should be in the wild, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing authorize an export that would continue the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reflect a more general misunderstanding of the facts of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials work to find a answer, proposals have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A proposed protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven contentious. The prospective facility, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Supporters remain hopeful that it could in time represent a permanent solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the possibility of a refuge represents a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible approach in the short term.

Charles Vinick, head of the sanctuary project, said the site will simulate the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales get from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|