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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 guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a disagreement between a defunct facility, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the intense controversy over their fate often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the people who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the controversial amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are kept warned to end their lives unless the federal government covers the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

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

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that entailed building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She developed a particular love for two female belugas with opposing personalities.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both transformed the way I view connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales progressed against a background of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her time at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, died. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which advocates say reflects the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand effects of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and navigate with chunks in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but in the past stated: “The whales … receive far better health care and 24/7 supervision than any individual in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in early March following the death of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility thought information of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was released not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in distress. She says the facility’s warning to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any attempts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “immense personnel”, equipment and specialized tools.

“It cannot happen in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

She supports requests for the whales to be removed immediately from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a request to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the request would have meant a continued life in confinement and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals should be in the sea, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience permit an relocation that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s remarks reflect a wider incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials work to find a solution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of food for Inuit communities.

A suggested protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has been most controversial. The future location, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Supporters remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a long term answer for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the idea of a sanctuary represents a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a workable approach in the coming months.

An official, head of the initiative, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|