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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute little “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a tussle between a shuttered park, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense controversy over their fate often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who see them each day.

After the Canadian government prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept stated it would consider to put them down unless the federal government pays for the expense of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and social skills suggest they are deeply intelligent creatures – something one caretaker observed directly.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a job that required gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the nuances and unique traits in their personalities. She cultivated a deep bond for a pair of whales with opposing natures.

“Eve chose me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Both transformed the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales progressed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her three years at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility links to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say reflects the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The facility did not open to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the shutdown. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and move about with pieces in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously claimed: “The whales … get far better medical attention and around the clock supervision than any individual in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in recent months following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the park suspected information of the incident were shared to the media and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in despair. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any efforts to put down even a one beluga would require “significant staff”, vehicles and machinery.

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

She supports demands for the whales to be transferred promptly from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In late September, the nation’s government official rejected a bid to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a ongoing life in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that whales should be in the ocean, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an export that would continue the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reveal a wider incorrect perception of the realities of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities attempt to find a resolution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven most controversial. The planned location, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the idea of a refuge reflects a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable solution in the near future.

The project lead, head of the plan, said the site will simulate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|