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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable little “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a large but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a struggle between a closed attraction, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the heated discussion over their future often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial attraction near the famous falls where they are held threatened to end their lives unless the authorities pays for the cost of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that demand, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and communal behavior indicate they are deeply intelligent mammals – something one caretaker observed directly.

She spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that required earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the outset, 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 wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so astounded by the subtleties and quirks in their characters. She formed a particular love for two female belugas with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve chose me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both transformed the way I view connection.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales evolved against a context of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her three years at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which advocates say indicates the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not operate to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly effects of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but earlier stated: “The whales … receive far better health care and 24/7 care than any individual in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in early March following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park thought details of the incident were disclosed to the news outlets and she was released not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left her and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “immense manpower”, trucks and machinery.

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

She backs demands for the whales to be taken right away from the park, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

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

“To approve the request would have meant a continued life in confinement and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official stated. “As Canadians, we know that belugas belong in the wild, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience approve an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements reflect a broader lack of awareness of the circumstances of existence for belugas born in captivity.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a solution, proposals have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has proven most controversial. The future location, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain positive that it could ultimately represent a long term answer for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the possibility of a protected habitat represents a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a viable approach in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, leader of the plan, said the facility will simulate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|