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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable little “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a struggle between a shuttered park, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated discussion over their future often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are held threatened to put them down unless the government funds the upkeep of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and group interactions point to they are deeply intelligent mammals – something Kristy Burgess discovered first-hand.

She spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a role that required building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the subtleties and unique traits in their personalities. She formed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting personalities.

“One whale chose me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Each changed the way I understand connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales evolved against a context of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her three years at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, passed away. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a toll which the park attributes to natural mortality, but which activists say reflects the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not operate to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and move about with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but earlier claimed: “The whales … obtain far superior medical attention and 24/7 supervision than any individual in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in recent months following the death of Eos, an sick beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park suspected information of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left her and current and former trainers in despair. She says the park’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any attempts to put down even a individual beluga would require “considerable manpower”, equipment and machinery.

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

Burgess advocates for calls for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In the autumn, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a request to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the request would have meant a perpetual situation in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the sea, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing permit an transfer that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reveal a broader lack of awareness of the circumstances of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials work to find a resolution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of food for local populations.

A suggested refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which now received official endorsement, has shown to be highly debated. The planned site, which includes extensive space of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a sustainable resolution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the idea of a protected habitat represents a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible solution in the near future.

An official, director of the plan, said the site will replicate the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales get from specialists, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|