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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an cute small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a tussle between a closed attraction, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their future often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the Canadian government disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are housed stated it would consider to put them down unless the federal government covers the cost of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and group interactions indicate they are highly cognitive creatures – something Kristy Burgess observed directly.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a job that required building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical 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 formed a deep bond for a pair of whales with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale selected me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both changed the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales evolved against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which activists say points to the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and move about with chunks in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously claimed: “The whales … receive far superior 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 the spring following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the park believed information of the death were leaked to the media and she was fired not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left her and staff members in anguish. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “significant staff”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

She advocates for demands for the whales to be taken right away from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

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

“To approve the proposal would have meant a perpetual situation in captivity and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that belugas should be in the sea, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in good conscience approve an relocation that would continue the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks reflect a more general incorrect perception of the realities of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials struggle to find a solution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The planned location, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a long term answer for some 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 untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the idea of a refuge reflects a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, leader of the initiative, said the location will replicate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|