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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a closed attraction, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated discussion over their destiny often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been carefully observed by the people who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the authorities covers the upkeep of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and social skills indicate they are remarkably smart animals – something Kristy Burgess learned directly.

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

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so surprised by the details and unique traits in their dispositions. She developed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting personalities.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both altered the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales developed against a context of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her tenure at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, died. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the park attributes to natural mortality, but which activists say reflects the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The park did not operate to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a request for comment, but earlier claimed: “The whales … receive far superior medical attention and around the clock supervision than any individual in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the facility suspected details of the death were leaked to the press and she was fired not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any plans to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “significant personnel”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

“There’s no way in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

She supports demands for the whales to be transferred promptly from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official turned down a bid to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the request would have meant a ongoing life in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that whales are meant for the sea, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience authorize an relocation that would continue the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reveal a broader incorrect perception of the circumstances of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities work to find a answer, ideas have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned refuge in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has shown to be highly debated. The prospective site, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a permanent resolution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ future.

Others say the possibility of a protected habitat represents a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable approach in the short term.

The project lead, director of the initiative, said the facility will replicate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales get from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|