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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a disagreement between a shuttered park, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the people who see them each day.

After the Canadian government prevented the transfer of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to end their lives unless the authorities pays for the upkeep of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and communal behavior point to they are remarkably smart creatures – something one caretaker learned personally.

Burgess spent three years as a whale caretaker, a role that involved gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the start, 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 gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She cultivated a special affection for two female belugas with different personalities.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “They changed the way I view relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her interaction with the whales progressed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her time at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, died. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility links to age-related causes, but which campaigners say points to the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The park did not operate to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but in the past stated: “The whales … receive far higher quality veterinary services and constant attention than any person in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in the spring following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected details of the incident were disclosed to the news outlets and she was let go not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any attempts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “considerable personnel”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be removed immediately from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In recent months, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a proposal to export the whales to China.

“Granting the request would have meant a continued life in confinement and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals are meant for the sea, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience approve an transfer that would prolong the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments reflect a more general misunderstanding 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 confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a solution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a key source of sustenance for local populations.

A planned refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has proven most controversial. The prospective site, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Supporters remain positive that it could eventually represent a sustainable resolution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the possibility of a sanctuary represents a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a workable plan in the coming months.

An official, leader of the plan, said the location will replicate the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|