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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable small “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a disagreement between a defunct facility, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the heated controversy over their fate often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who see them each day.

After the federal government prevented the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near the famous falls where they are held warned to euthanize them unless the federal government covers the expense of their survival. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and social skills indicate they are deeply intelligent mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

Burgess spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a job that entailed gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so amazed by the nuances and unique traits in their characters. She cultivated a particular love for two female belugas with opposing personalities.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Both changed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her three years at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility links to natural mortality, but which campaigners say points to the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not open to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the cessation. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and move about with pieces in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not respond to a inquiry, but in the past asserted: “The whales … get far better medical attention and around the clock supervision than any human in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in recent months following the death of Eos, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the facility suspected details of the death were disclosed to the press and she was fired not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize 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 personnel”, equipment and machinery.

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

Burgess supports demands for the whales to be transferred immediately from the facility, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a proposal to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a continued situation in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that marine mammals are meant for the sea, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing permit an export that would continue the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments indicate a wider misunderstanding of the realities of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a resolution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for local populations.

A proposed refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has proven highly debated. The future facility, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Advocates remain positive that it could eventually represent a sustainable resolution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the prospect of a refuge represents a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable plan in the near future.

Charles Vinick, director of the initiative, said the site will simulate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|