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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming little “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a disagreement between a closed attraction, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the heated debate over their fate often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are held threatened to end their lives unless the federal government covers the upkeep of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, problem solving and social skills suggest they are deeply intelligent creatures – something Kristy Burgess learned first-hand.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a position that entailed building relationships of the aquatic animals.

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

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the details and quirks in their dispositions. She cultivated a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting personalities.

“Eve selected me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They altered the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s relationship with the whales progressed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her time at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility links to natural mortality, but which campaigners say reflects the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The facility did not open to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes effects of the shutdown. “Structural materials is breaking off from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and swim around with fragments in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but in the past claimed: “The whales … get far higher quality medical attention and around the clock attention than any person in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was fired from the park in the spring following the death of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the park thought particulars of the death were disclosed to the news outlets and she was released not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any efforts to put down even a individual beluga would require “significant staff”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

Burgess advocates for calls for the whales to be taken promptly from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a proposal to send the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the request would have meant a perpetual situation in confinement and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that belugas should be in the ocean, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience permit an export that would prolong the situation these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s remarks indicate a broader lack of awareness of the realities of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

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

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a solution, proposals have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of food for Inuit communities.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has proven highly debated. The planned location, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Proponents remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a long term solution for eight of the whales.

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

Some experts say the possibility of a refuge indicates a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable solution in the near future.

The project lead, leader of the plan, said the facility will replicate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|