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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute little “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a struggle between a closed attraction, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated discussion over their future often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the federal government blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to put them down unless the federal government covers the upkeep of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and communal behavior indicate they are highly cognitive mammals – something a former trainer learned directly.

She spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that involved building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She cultivated a special affection for two female belugas with opposing natures.

“Eve selected me. The other required effort,” she said. “Both transformed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s connection with the whales developed against a background of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her tenure at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, passed away. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say indicates the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not comment to a questionnaire, but previously asserted: “The whales … obtain far better health care and around the clock attention than any individual in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in the spring following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park thought particulars of the death were leaked to the news outlets and she was let go soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any attempts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “considerable manpower”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

She backs demands for the whales to be taken right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

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

“Granting the application would have meant a perpetual existence in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister commented. “As society, we know that whales are meant for the wild, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an transfer that would continue the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments indicate a wider lack of awareness of the realities of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers work to find a resolution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a important part of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has shown to be most controversial. The prospective facility, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain positive that it could ultimately represent a sustainable answer for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the possibility of a sanctuary indicates a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a feasible plan in the near future.

An official, head of the sanctuary project, said the facility will replicate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|