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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the people who work with them regularly.

After the federal government disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling facility near Niagara Falls where they are kept stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the authorities covers the upkeep of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and communal behavior indicate they are highly cognitive creatures – something Kristy Burgess discovered personally.

Burgess spent three years as a whale caretaker, a role that involved building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so amazed by the subtleties and unique traits in their characters. She cultivated a special affection for two female belugas with contrasting personalities.

“Eve selected me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Each transformed the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales progressed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her time at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, passed away. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which activists say points to the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly results of the shutdown. “Concrete is breaking off from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and swim around with pieces in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but previously asserted: “The whales … get far superior health care and 24/7 care than any person in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in early March following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park believed information of the incident were disclosed to the news outlets and she was let go not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any efforts to put down even a individual beluga would require “considerable manpower”, vehicles and machinery.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be taken promptly from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s government official turned down a proposal to export the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a continued existence in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that belugas belong in the wild, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience approve an relocation that would continue the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s remarks indicate a wider incorrect perception of the realities of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats 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 decision makers struggle to find a solution, proposals have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a important part of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A planned sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received official endorsement, has been contentious. The future site, which includes a large area of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a sustainable answer for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the possibility of a protected habitat represents a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible solution in the short term.

The project lead, leader of the sanctuary project, said the facility will simulate the cognitive activities and diet the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|