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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a shuttered park, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense discussion over their fate often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been closely studied by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities prevented the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to put them down unless the authorities pays for the cost of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, problem solving and social skills point to they are highly cognitive mammals – something a former trainer discovered directly.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a role that entailed gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

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

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the nuances and quirks in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve chose me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “They altered the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales progressed against a background of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her tenure at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which advocates say indicates the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The park did not open to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and navigate with fragments in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but previously claimed: “The whales … get far better health care and around the clock care than any individual in the UK, or other places.”

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 employees had to euthanize. She said the facility believed particulars of the incident were leaked to the media and she was released soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any plans to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “immense manpower”, trucks and machinery.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

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

“Granting the application would have meant a perpetual existence in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that marine mammals belong in the wild, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience permit an export that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reveal a more general misunderstanding of the realities of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a solution, ideas have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of food for Inuit communities.

A suggested refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received government approval, has shown to be contentious. The planned site, which includes a large area of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain optimistic that it could in time represent a permanent resolution for a number of the whales.

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

Different voices say the idea of a refuge represents a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a feasible solution in the near future.

An official, head of the plan, said the site will mimic the mental engagement and nutrition the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|