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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute small “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a defunct facility, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the heated controversy over their future often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the humans who see them each day.

After the national authorities disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near the famous falls where they are housed stated it would consider to put them down unless the authorities funds the expense of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are highly cognitive animals – something one caretaker learned directly.

Burgess spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that required earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and unique traits in their personalities. She formed a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing personalities.

“One whale selected me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Each altered the way I understand relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales evolved against a context of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, died. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which campaigners say points to the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The park did not open to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand results of the closure. “Structural materials is breaking off from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and swim around with chunks in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but in the past claimed: “The whales … receive far superior veterinary services and 24/7 supervision than any person in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in recent months following the demise of Eos, an sick beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park believed details of the incident were leaked to the press and she was let go soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s threat to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any efforts to put down even a single beluga would require “significant manpower”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She supports requests for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In recent months, the nation’s government official rejected a proposal to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the request would have meant a continued situation in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that belugas are meant for the ocean, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing permit an transfer that would continue the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reveal a broader misunderstanding of the facts of life for belugas born in captivity.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of food for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has shown to be contentious. The future location, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain positive that it could ultimately represent a long term answer for eight of the whales.

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

Different voices say the idea of a refuge reflects a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable plan in the coming months.

The project lead, head of the sanctuary project, said the location will replicate the cognitive activities and diet the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|