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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable little “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a struggle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated discussion over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities prevented the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near Niagara Falls where they are housed warned to euthanize them unless the federal government funds the expense of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and communal behavior point to they are remarkably smart animals – something one caretaker observed directly.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a role that involved gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the nuances and quirks in their characters. She cultivated a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing personalities.

“Eve selected me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Each transformed the way I view relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales progressed against a context of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her tenure at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, passed away. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which advocates say indicates the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not open to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures 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 jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but in the past claimed: “The whales … obtain far superior medical attention and constant attention than any human in the Britain, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the park in early March following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the park thought information of the incident were shared to the press and she was released shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “significant manpower”, vehicles and machinery.

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

She backs calls for the whales to be transferred immediately from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

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

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a ongoing existence in captivity and a return to display for amusement,” the official stated. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals are meant for the wild, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience authorize an transfer that would prolong the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments reflect a wider misunderstanding of the circumstances of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a solution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received regulatory clearance, has been contentious. The future facility, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Proponents remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a sustainable solution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the prospect of a sanctuary reflects a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable solution in the near future.

An official, leader of the plan, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|