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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute little “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a defunct facility, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned debate over their future often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the federal government disallowed the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to put them down unless the authorities covers the expense of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and group interactions suggest they are remarkably smart creatures – something one caretaker observed directly.

She spent several years as a beluga trainer, a job that entailed earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the outset, 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 wonderful and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so amazed by the subtleties and unique traits in their characters. She cultivated a particular love for a pair of whales with opposing temperaments.

“One whale chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “Both transformed the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales evolved against a background of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her three years at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, succumbed. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which advocates say reflects the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The facility did not operate to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly effects of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and move about with chunks in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but earlier claimed: “The whales … receive far superior veterinary services and 24/7 attention than any person in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in early March following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park thought information of the death were disclosed to the press and she was fired soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any attempts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “immense personnel”, equipment and machinery.

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

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be transferred immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In the autumn, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a request to send the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a perpetual life in confinement and a return to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that whales should be in the wild, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience permit an relocation that would prolong the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reveal a wider lack of awareness of the facts of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials struggle to find a resolution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of sustenance for local populations.

A planned protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The prospective facility, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Proponents remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a sustainable answer for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the possibility of a protected habitat indicates a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a viable approach in the near future.

An official, head of the plan, said the facility will simulate the mental engagement and diet the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|