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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming small “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

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

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned debate over their destiny often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the national authorities disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are held threatened to end their lives unless the government funds the expense of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that demand, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and social skills indicate they are remarkably smart animals – something Kristy Burgess discovered personally.

Burgess spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that entailed gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the subtleties and unique traits in their dispositions. She formed a deep bond for two female belugas with contrasting natures.

“Eve selected me. The other required effort,” she said. “They transformed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s connection with the whales developed against a context of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her three years at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which activists say indicates the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but in the past asserted: “The whales … receive far higher quality medical attention and constant attention than any individual in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in recent months following the death of Eos, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the facility thought particulars of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was let go soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in despair. She says the facility’s threat to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any efforts to put down even a single beluga would require “considerable manpower”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for demands for the whales to be taken right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In late September, Canada’s government official denied a bid to export the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a ongoing situation in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As society, we know that belugas are meant for the ocean, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in good conscience permit an transfer that would continue the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reveal a wider misunderstanding of the realities of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a important part of food for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which has received government approval, has been highly debated. The prospective site, which includes extensive space of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain optimistic that it could in time represent a sustainable answer for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the idea of a protected habitat reflects a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a viable solution in the short term.

An official, director of the plan, said the location will simulate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|