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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute little “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a struggle between a shuttered park, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense controversy over their destiny often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the federal government blocked the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to put them down unless the authorities covers the upkeep of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and group interactions indicate they are remarkably smart mammals – something Kristy Burgess discovered personally.

Burgess spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a job that involved building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the details and quirks in their characters. She formed a special affection for a pair of whales with different natures.

“Eve accepted me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “They changed the way I perceive connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales progressed against a context of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her three years at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, died. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the facility attributes to expected lifespan, but which activists say reflects the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is breaking off from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and navigate with chunks in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but earlier asserted: “The whales … get far superior veterinary services and constant care than any human in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in recent months following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility thought information of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any plans to put down even a single beluga would require “considerable manpower”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess supports requests for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official turned down a bid to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the application would have meant a continued life in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the official stated. “As society, we know that whales are meant for the wild, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an relocation that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reveal a more general lack of awareness of the circumstances of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers work to find a solution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of nourishment for local populations.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven contentious. The prospective location, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Proponents remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a long term answer for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Others say the prospect of a protected habitat represents a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable approach in the near future.

An official, director of the plan, said the facility will replicate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|