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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a struggle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned debate over their destiny often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the people who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to end their lives unless the government covers the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and group interactions suggest they are remarkably smart animals – something one caretaker discovered directly.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a role that required earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She formed a particular love for a pair of whales with opposing personalities.

“One whale accepted me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They changed the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales progressed against a background of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her three years at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, succumbed. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the park links to age-related causes, but which advocates say points to the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand effects of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and swim around with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but in the past asserted: “The whales … get far better medical attention and constant supervision than any human in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in early March following the passing of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility suspected particulars of the death were shared to the media and she was let go soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any plans to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “significant personnel”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

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

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a proposal to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a perpetual existence in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals should be in the ocean, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an relocation that would prolong the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reflect a more general misunderstanding of the circumstances of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a solution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a important part of sustenance for local populations.

A planned refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received regulatory clearance, has been contentious. The prospective location, which includes a large area of protected cove, is not yet built. Supporters remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a permanent solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the possibility of a sanctuary indicates a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, head of the initiative, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|