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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “playful character”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a tussle between a closed attraction, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their future often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who see them each day.

After the federal government blocked the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are housed stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the federal government funds the expense of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that demand, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and group interactions point to they are highly cognitive animals – something Kristy Burgess observed directly.

Burgess spent three years as a beluga trainer, a position that entailed gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She developed a particular love for a pair of whales with contrasting natures.

“One whale selected me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both altered the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales developed against a context of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her time at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which activists say points to the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not open to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and swim around with chunks in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a request for comment, but in the past asserted: “The whales … receive far better health care and 24/7 supervision than any individual in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in the spring following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park thought particulars of the incident were shared to the press and she was released soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s warning to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any efforts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess advocates for calls for the whales to be transferred immediately from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In recent months, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a proposal to export the whales to China.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a perpetual existence in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals should be in the sea, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience authorize an export that would continue the situation these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments reveal a broader lack of awareness of the facts of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision 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 Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a solution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A proposed protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven most controversial. The prospective location, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain optimistic that it could in time represent a sustainable resolution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the idea of a protected habitat reflects a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible plan in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, leader of the plan, said the location will simulate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|