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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a struggle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their destiny often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled facility near the famous falls where they are housed warned to end their lives unless the government pays for the upkeep of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and communal behavior point to they are deeply intelligent mammals – something a former trainer learned first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that involved earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the nuances and quirks in their dispositions. She cultivated a special affection for a pair of whales with opposing temperaments.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Each altered the way I view connection.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s interaction with the whales progressed 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 all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility attributes to age-related causes, but which advocates say indicates the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand effects of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously stated: “The whales … get far better medical attention and constant care than any person in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in early March following the demise of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the park believed information of the death were leaked to the media and she was fired soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s warning to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any efforts to put down even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, trucks and machinery.

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

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

In the autumn, Canada’s fisheries minister turned down a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the request would have meant a ongoing existence in captivity and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that belugas are meant for the sea, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would prolong the situation these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements indicate a more general misunderstanding of the circumstances of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a answer, proposals have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which now received government approval, has been highly debated. The prospective site, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain optimistic that it could in time represent a sustainable answer for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Others say the possibility of a protected habitat reflects a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a viable solution in the short term.

Charles Vinick, leader of the initiative, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|