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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable little “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a disagreement between a defunct facility, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned discussion over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the federal government prevented the transfer of the belugas to China, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held warned to put them down unless the government pays for the expense of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are deeply intelligent animals – something one caretaker discovered directly.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a job that required gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so surprised by the nuances and unique traits in their dispositions. She formed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “Each transformed the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales evolved against a context of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

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

The facility did not admit visitors to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the shutdown. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not comment to a inquiry, but previously claimed: “The whales … receive far superior health care and 24/7 care than any human in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in early March following the demise of Eos, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the park thought details of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was released shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “significant personnel”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

She backs demands for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official turned down a request to export the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a ongoing life in enclosure and a return to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that whales should be in the wild, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an export that would prolong the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments reveal a more general incorrect perception of the circumstances of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a solution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A planned refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven contentious. The planned facility, which includes a large area of protected cove, is not yet built. Advocates remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the possibility of a refuge reflects a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a viable solution in the short term.

The project lead, director of the plan, said the facility will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|