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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming little “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a disagreement between a shuttered park, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the heated debate over their future often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the humans who see them each day.

After the national authorities disallowed the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the federal government covers the cost of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and social skills suggest they are highly cognitive creatures – something Kristy Burgess discovered personally.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a position that involved building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so surprised by the nuances and quirks in their dispositions. She developed a special affection for a pair of whales with opposing personalities.

“One whale chose me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “They transformed the way I understand bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s interaction with the whales developed against a context of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her time at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park links to age-related causes, but which campaigners say indicates the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand results of the shutdown. “Structural materials is falling apart from the pools because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously stated: “The whales … get far higher quality veterinary services and around the clock attention than any person in the Britain, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in recent months following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the park suspected information of the death were leaked to the media and she was let go not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any plans to euthanize even a one beluga would require “significant manpower”, vehicles and machinery.

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

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

In late September, the nation’s government official denied a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the application would have meant a ongoing life in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that marine mammals should be in the wild, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience approve an relocation that would prolong the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s remarks reveal a broader incorrect perception of the facts of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A proposed protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received official endorsement, has been highly debated. The future site, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain optimistic that it could in time represent a long term answer for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the idea of a sanctuary indicates a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a viable solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, leader of the sanctuary project, said the location will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|