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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming little “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a tussle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated debate over their fate often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government prevented the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are housed stated it would consider to end their lives unless the authorities pays for the upkeep of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and communal behavior indicate they are deeply intelligent mammals – something a former trainer learned personally.

Burgess spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a role that involved gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Building up 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. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She cultivated a deep bond for a pair of whales with different personalities.

“Eve accepted me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Both changed the way I view relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her time at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the park links to natural mortality, but which advocates say indicates the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The park did not open to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly effects of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and swim around with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but in the past stated: “The whales … obtain far superior health care and around the clock supervision than any person in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in recent months following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the facility thought particulars of the incident were leaked to the press and she was let go not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any plans to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “considerable staff”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

She backs calls for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official rejected a proposal to export the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a ongoing life in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals should be in the wild, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience approve an export that would continue the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reflect a more general misunderstanding of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

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

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials struggle to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of food for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received official endorsement, has proven contentious. The future site, which includes a large area of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a sustainable resolution for a number of the whales.

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

Some experts say the prospect of a protected habitat reflects a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a workable approach in the short term.

The project lead, director of the sanctuary project, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|