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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an cute little “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense debate over their destiny often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities disallowed the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are held warned to end their lives unless the federal government covers the cost of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected 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, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are deeply intelligent mammals – something a former trainer discovered directly.

She spent several years as a whale caretaker, a job that required gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the nuances and unique traits in their characters. She cultivated a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale accepted me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “They transformed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s connection with the whales evolved against a context of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her three years at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, died. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park ascribes to age-related causes, but which advocates say indicates the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly results of the closure. “Concrete is falling apart from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and swim around with pieces in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a request for comment, but earlier claimed: “The whales … get far higher quality medical attention and 24/7 care than any human in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in recent months following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the park believed information of the death were leaked 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 park’s threat to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any plans to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “considerable personnel”, equipment and machinery.

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

Burgess backs calls for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a bid to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a continued situation in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that marine mammals belong in the wild, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in good conscience approve an transfer that would continue the situation these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reflect a wider incorrect perception of the facts of life for belugas born in captivity.

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

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a solution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received regulatory clearance, has been highly debated. The future facility, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a permanent solution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the possibility of a refuge indicates a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a feasible approach in the near future.

Charles Vinick, leader of the sanctuary project, said the facility will replicate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|