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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a disagreement between a defunct facility, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their fate often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the federal government blocked the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to put them down unless the federal government covers the expense of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and communal behavior suggest they are deeply intelligent creatures – something one caretaker discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a role that involved building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the start, 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 nonetheless amazed by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She cultivated a deep bond for two female belugas with contrasting natures.

“One whale selected me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “They changed the way I view relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales developed against a background of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, died. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility links to natural mortality, but which advocates say reflects the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and swim around with pieces in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a request for comment, but previously claimed: “The whales … get far superior health care and 24/7 supervision than any person in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in the spring following the passing of Eos, an ailing beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park thought particulars of the death were leaked to the news outlets and she was released shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any attempts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “significant staff”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She supports calls for the whales to be removed right away from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a request to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the request would have meant a ongoing situation in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister stated. “As the public, we know that belugas belong in the wild, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing permit an relocation that would prolong the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reflect a broader misunderstanding of the facts of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“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. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a answer, proposals have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed refuge in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received regulatory clearance, has been most controversial. The future facility, which includes extensive space of protected cove, is not yet built. Supporters remain positive that it could in time represent a permanent solution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the idea of a sanctuary reflects a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a viable solution in the near future.

The project lead, head of the sanctuary project, said the site will simulate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|