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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute little “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the heated discussion over their destiny often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the national authorities disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near Niagara Falls where they are housed warned to end their lives unless the federal government covers the cost of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and social skills point to they are deeply intelligent animals – something Kristy Burgess discovered first-hand.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a job that required earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so amazed by the nuances and quirks in their characters. She formed a deep bond for a pair of whales with different natures.

“Eve chose me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Each transformed the way I perceive bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales progressed against a context of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her time at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the facility links to age-related causes, but which advocates say indicates the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes results of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and swim around with chunks in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but previously asserted: “The whales … obtain far superior medical attention and constant attention than any individual in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the park in early March following the passing of Eos, an ailing beluga the employees had to put down. She said the facility believed particulars of the death were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s warning to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “immense manpower”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She backs demands for the whales to be removed promptly from the park, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

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

“Allowing the application would have meant a ongoing life in enclosure and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals should be in the wild, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience permit an transfer that would prolong the situation these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements reveal a broader misunderstanding of the facts of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a solution, proposals have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The planned location, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a long term solution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Others say the prospect of a protected habitat indicates a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a viable plan in the near future.

The project lead, head of the sanctuary project, said the facility will replicate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|