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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a struggle 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 future often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are housed stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the government funds the upkeep of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are highly cognitive creatures – something Kristy Burgess learned directly.

She spent three years as a beluga trainer, a position that involved gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, 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 highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the nuances and unique traits in their personalities. She cultivated a particular love for a pair of whales with opposing natures.

“Eve selected me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both transformed the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales evolved against a context of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the park attributes to natural mortality, but which activists say points to the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand results of the shutdown. “Concrete is breaking off from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and swim around with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but previously claimed: “The whales … receive far superior medical attention and constant attention than any human in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in the spring following the death of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected particulars of the death were disclosed to the news outlets and she was fired soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any efforts to put down even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

Burgess supports requests for the whales to be transferred immediately from the facility, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In recent months, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a bid to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the request would have meant a ongoing situation in captivity and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that belugas belong in the ocean, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience approve an export that would prolong the situation these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reveal a broader incorrect perception of the facts of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of nourishment for local populations.

A planned refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which has received government approval, has proven most controversial. The prospective location, which includes a large area of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a permanent answer for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the idea of a protected habitat indicates a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable plan in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, leader of the plan, said the site will replicate the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|