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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an cute little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a defunct facility, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the national authorities disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near Niagara Falls where they are held warned to put them down unless the federal government pays for the cost of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and communal behavior point to they are highly cognitive creatures – something one caretaker observed personally.

She spent several years as a beluga trainer, a job that entailed building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the details and unique traits in their characters. She formed a deep bond for two female belugas with contrasting temperaments.

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

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

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

During her time at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say points to the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and navigate with fragments in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but in the past asserted: “The whales … get far better health care and around the clock supervision than any individual in the Britain, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in early March following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the facility believed details of the death were disclosed to the press and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and current and former trainers in despair. She says the park’s warning to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any efforts to put down even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess supports calls for the whales to be removed promptly from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official rejected a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“Allowing the request would have meant a continued life in enclosure and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As society, we know that marine mammals belong in the sea, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an transfer that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

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

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials work to find a solution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has been most controversial. The planned location, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Supporters remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a permanent answer for a number of the whales.

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

Others say the prospect of a sanctuary indicates a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a viable plan in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, head of the sanctuary project, said the facility will replicate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|