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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a struggle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are kept warned to end their lives unless the government covers the expense of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and communal behavior indicate they are highly cognitive mammals – something Kristy Burgess discovered personally.

Burgess spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a role that entailed gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

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

“One whale accepted me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Each changed the way I perceive connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales progressed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her time at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, died. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which campaigners say indicates the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is breaking off from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and swim around with chunks in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but earlier stated: “The whales … obtain far higher quality health care and around the clock care than any person in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in recent months following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected information of the death were leaked to the news outlets and she was released shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any efforts to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “significant manpower”, equipment and heavy equipment.

“It cannot happen in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess supports demands for the whales to be taken promptly from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a bid to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a continued situation in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that whales should be in the sea, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would prolong the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reflect a wider incorrect perception of the realities of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials work to find a answer, proposals have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a key source of food for local populations.

A planned sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has shown to be contentious. The planned location, which includes a large area of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a long term solution for a number of the whales.

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

Some experts say the prospect of a protected habitat indicates a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a viable approach in the near future.

Charles Vinick, head of the initiative, said the site will replicate the cognitive activities and diet the whales get from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|