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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an cute little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a closed attraction, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their future often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled facility near Niagara Falls where they are housed warned to put them down unless the government covers the expense of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and social skills point to they are highly cognitive creatures – something one caretaker learned directly.

Burgess spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a position that involved earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She formed a special affection for two female belugas with contrasting temperaments.

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

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s interaction with the whales developed against a context of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility links to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say reflects the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The park did not operate to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and swim around with pieces in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but earlier claimed: “The whales … obtain far better health care and 24/7 supervision than any individual in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in the spring following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility thought information of the incident were disclosed to the news outlets and she was released not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any efforts to put down even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, equipment and machinery.

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

Burgess backs calls for the whales to be transferred promptly from the park, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a request to export the whales to China.

“Granting the request would have meant a continued situation in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that marine mammals belong in the ocean, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in good conscience authorize an export that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments indicate a wider incorrect perception of the facts of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a answer, ideas have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A proposed protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received official endorsement, has been highly debated. The future site, which includes a large area of protected cove, is not yet built. Advocates remain positive that it could in time represent a sustainable resolution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the possibility of a sanctuary represents a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a workable plan in the short term.

The project lead, head of the plan, said the location will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|