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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a defunct facility, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their future often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who see them each day.

After the federal government prevented the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled amusement park near the famous 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 fisheries minister has denied that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and group interactions point to they are remarkably smart animals – something a former trainer learned personally.

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

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the details and unique traits in their dispositions. She cultivated a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing temperaments.

“One whale chose me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Both transformed the way I perceive connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales developed against a context of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, died. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the park attributes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say indicates the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the shutdown. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a request for comment, but previously stated: “The whales … get far superior veterinary services and constant care than any individual in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in the spring following the passing of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the park thought information of the death were leaked to the press and she was fired soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left her and staff members in despair. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any plans to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “significant personnel”, trucks and machinery.

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

Burgess backs demands for the whales to be removed right away from the park, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In recent months, Canada’s government official turned down a proposal to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the request would have meant a perpetual existence in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the official stated. “As society, we know that marine mammals are meant for the wild, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in good conscience authorize an transfer that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s remarks reflect a wider misunderstanding of the circumstances of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials work to find a answer, suggestions have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The planned site, which includes a large area of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain optimistic that it could in time represent a permanent resolution for a number of the whales.

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

Others say the prospect of a sanctuary represents a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a workable plan in the short term.

Charles Vinick, head of the sanctuary project, said the facility will replicate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|