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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an cute small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a large but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a disagreement between a closed attraction, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the heated controversy over their fate often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to end their lives unless the authorities funds the expense of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and social skills point to they are highly cognitive animals – something Kristy Burgess observed personally.

Burgess spent three years as a beluga trainer, a role that involved building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the outset, 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 extraordinary and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the details and unique traits in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for a pair of whales with opposing natures.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “They changed the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s connection with the whales developed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her time at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility links to natural mortality, but which advocates say reflects the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the pools because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but in the past asserted: “The whales … obtain far higher quality health care and around the clock supervision than any individual in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in recent months following the death of a beluga, an unwell beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the park believed particulars of the death were shared to the press and she was released soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any plans to put down even a single beluga would require “significant manpower”, vehicles and machinery.

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

She advocates for calls for the whales to be removed right away from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a request to transfer the whales to China.

“Allowing the application would have meant a ongoing existence in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that belugas belong in the sea, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an export that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reflect a wider incorrect perception of the facts of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials work to find a solution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of food for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received official endorsement, has been contentious. The prospective site, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a long term answer for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the prospect of a protected habitat indicates a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible approach in the coming months.

An official, leader of the sanctuary project, said the location will mimic the mental engagement and diet the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|