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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a worm. 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 become pawns in a tussle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense controversy over their destiny often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government prevented the transfer of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the government funds the cost of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and social skills point to they are remarkably smart animals – something Kristy Burgess discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a role that entailed building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so surprised by the details and quirks in their characters. She formed a particular love for two female belugas with opposing personalities.

“One whale accepted me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Both changed the way I understand connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her three years at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the park links to age-related causes, but which advocates say points to the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The facility did not operate to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the cessation. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and move about with pieces in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a request for comment, but previously stated: “The whales … receive far superior health care and 24/7 supervision than any person in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in recent months following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park believed particulars of the death were shared to the media and she was fired not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any efforts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “immense manpower”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a proposal to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a perpetual situation in captivity and a return to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that marine mammals belong in the sea, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience authorize an transfer that would prolong the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks reveal a more general lack of awareness of the realities of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers attempt to find a solution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received official endorsement, has proven highly debated. The prospective location, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain positive that it could ultimately represent a permanent answer for eight of the whales.

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

Others say the possibility of a refuge represents a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible solution in the short term.

An official, director of the sanctuary project, said the location will replicate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|