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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming little “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense discussion over their destiny often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the people who interact with them daily.

After the federal government blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled facility near Niagara Falls where they are held threatened to put them down unless the government funds the upkeep of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and group interactions indicate they are deeply intelligent creatures – something Kristy Burgess discovered personally.

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

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so astounded by the subtleties and unique traits in their characters. She formed a deep bond for a pair of whales with contrasting natures.

“Eve accepted me. The other required effort,” she said. “Both altered the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales evolved against a context of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park links to age-related causes, but which campaigners say reflects the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The facility did not admit visitors to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly results of the shutdown. “Structural materials is breaking off from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and move about with chunks in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but earlier stated: “The whales … get far higher quality medical attention and constant attention than any human in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the park believed particulars of the death were leaked to the press and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and current and former trainers in despair. She says the park’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any efforts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant manpower”, equipment and machinery.

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

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be taken promptly from the facility, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s government official turned down a proposal to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the request would have meant a perpetual existence in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the minister commented. “As society, we know that whales are meant for the wild, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience approve an relocation that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks indicate a more general lack of awareness of the realities of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t understand 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 surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has been contentious. The future facility, which includes extensive space of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a long term solution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ future.

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

An official, director of the sanctuary project, said the site will replicate the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|