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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable small “playful character”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated discussion over their future often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities disallowed the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near the famous falls where they are held threatened to euthanize them unless the federal government funds the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and group interactions indicate they are deeply intelligent creatures – something one caretaker discovered first-hand.

She spent several years as a beluga trainer, a role that entailed building relationships of the marine predators.

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

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the details and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for a pair of whales with contrasting personalities.

“One whale accepted me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Each transformed the way I understand relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales evolved against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her time at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say indicates the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and swim around with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but previously claimed: “The whales … obtain far better medical attention and 24/7 supervision than any person in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in recent months following the death of Eos, an ailing beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the facility thought details of the death were leaked to the press and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and staff members in despair. She says the park’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any attempts to put down even a individual beluga would require “immense staff”, trucks and machinery.

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

Burgess advocates for calls for the whales to be taken promptly from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In recent months, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a bid to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a perpetual situation in confinement and a return to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that whales are meant for the ocean, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience permit an relocation that would continue the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments reflect a broader lack of awareness of the circumstances of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received official endorsement, has proven highly debated. The prospective site, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a long term answer for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the prospect of a refuge represents a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable solution in the short term.

The project lead, head of the initiative, said the location will simulate the mental engagement and feeding regimen 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|