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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute small “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense debate over their destiny often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the people who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government prevented the transfer of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the federal government pays for the upkeep of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that request, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are deeply intelligent creatures – something Kristy Burgess learned directly.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a job that involved gaining confidence of the marine predators.

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

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

“One whale selected me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They altered the way I understand connection.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales progressed against a context of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her three years at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a toll which the park links to age-related causes, but which activists say reflects the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not admit visitors to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the cessation. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and navigate with fragments in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but in the past asserted: “The whales … obtain far superior medical attention and 24/7 supervision than any person in the UK, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in recent months following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the park believed details of the death were disclosed to the media and she was released soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the facility’s threat to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any plans to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “significant personnel”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be removed right away from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a bid to export the whales to China.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a perpetual life in captivity and a return to display for amusement,” the minister stated. “As the public, we know that whales are meant for the ocean, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience permit an transfer that would continue the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reflect a wider misunderstanding of the circumstances of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials struggle to find a resolution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received official endorsement, has proven most controversial. The planned site, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Advocates remain positive that it could eventually represent a sustainable answer for a number of the whales.

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

Different voices say the prospect of a protected habitat reflects a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a viable plan in the short term.

The project lead, leader of the plan, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and diet the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|