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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable small “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a struggle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated controversy over their destiny often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been carefully observed by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to China, the struggling attraction near the famous falls where they are kept warned to put them down unless the authorities funds the expense of their survival. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and communal behavior point to they are deeply intelligent mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

Burgess spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a job that entailed building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the nuances and quirks in their characters. She formed a special affection for a pair of whales with opposing personalities.

“Eve chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They transformed the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales developed against a context of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her time at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which advocates say indicates the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes effects of the closure. “Structural materials is breaking off from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and swim around with pieces in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not comment to a inquiry, but in the past asserted: “The whales … receive far better medical attention and constant supervision than any human in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the park in the spring following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park suspected information of the incident were disclosed to the press and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any plans to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “immense staff”, vehicles and specialized tools.

“It’s impossible in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess advocates for calls for the whales to be removed right away from the park, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In late September, Canada’s government official denied a proposal to export the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a ongoing situation in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that marine mammals should be in the ocean, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an transfer that would continue the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reflect a wider incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a resolution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which now received official endorsement, has been most controversial. The prospective location, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain hopeful that it could in time represent a permanent answer for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the possibility of a protected habitat represents a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible approach in the near future.

The project lead, leader of the plan, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|