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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a disagreement between a closed attraction, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned debate over their future often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the people who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are housed warned to euthanize them unless the federal government pays for the upkeep of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and social skills point to they are remarkably smart creatures – something a former trainer observed first-hand.

Burgess spent three years as a beluga trainer, a role that entailed earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so surprised by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She developed a particular love for a pair of whales with different temperaments.

“Eve chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “They changed the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales progressed against a background of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park ascribes to age-related causes, but which campaigners say points to the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly effects of the closure. “Structural materials is falling apart from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and move about with chunks in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but previously stated: “The whales … get far superior medical attention and constant supervision than any person in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in early March following the demise of a beluga, an sick beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the park thought information of the incident were shared to the media and she was released soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any efforts to put down even a one beluga would require “immense staff”, vehicles and machinery.

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

She supports calls for the whales to be removed right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official denied a bid to send the whales to China.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a perpetual existence in confinement and a return to display for amusement,” the minister stated. “As Canadians, we know that whales are meant for the ocean, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing permit an relocation that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reflect a wider misunderstanding of the realities of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a solution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A planned sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has been highly debated. The future site, which includes extensive space of protected cove, is not yet built. Proponents remain positive that it could ultimately represent a long term solution for a number of the whales.

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

Others say the prospect of a sanctuary indicates a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a viable plan in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, leader of the initiative, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|