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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming little “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a struggle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

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

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are housed stated it would consider to end their lives unless the authorities pays for the cost of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, problem solving and group interactions indicate they are deeply intelligent mammals – something a former trainer observed personally.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a role that involved building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She formed a deep bond for a pair of whales with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They transformed the way I perceive relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales evolved against a background of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park attributes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say indicates the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but previously claimed: “The whales … get far better health care and 24/7 care than any person in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in recent months following the demise of a beluga, an sick beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the park suspected details of the incident were shared to the news outlets and she was let go not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and staff members in despair. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any plans to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “considerable personnel”, equipment and machinery.

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

Burgess supports calls for the whales to be transferred right away from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister rejected a proposal to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a perpetual existence in confinement and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that whales belong in the sea, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience permit an export that would continue the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks reveal a broader lack of awareness of the facts of life for belugas born in captivity.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a solution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for local populations.

A proposed protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has shown to be most controversial. The planned site, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term answer for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the idea of a sanctuary represents a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible approach in the near future.

The project lead, director of the plan, said the facility will replicate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|