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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a tussle between a closed attraction, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their future often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to end their lives unless the government covers the cost of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that demand, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and communal behavior point to they are remarkably smart mammals – something one caretaker learned first-hand.

Burgess spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a role that involved gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency 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 magical and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the subtleties and unique traits in their dispositions. She formed a deep bond for two female belugas with different natures.

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

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales evolved against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility links to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say reflects the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The facility did not operate to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and move about with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but previously claimed: “The whales … receive far superior veterinary services and 24/7 attention than any individual in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in the spring following the demise of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility thought particulars of the death were leaked to the press and she was released soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any plans to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “significant manpower”, trucks and machinery.

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

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a bid to export the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a perpetual life in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that marine mammals should be in the ocean, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience approve an transfer that would prolong the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements indicate a broader lack of awareness of the facts of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

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

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers attempt to find a resolution, proposals have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of food for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received official endorsement, has shown to be most controversial. The future site, which includes a large area of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a long term answer for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the idea of a sanctuary reflects a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible plan in the coming months.

An official, head of the plan, said the facility will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|